Weather and Songbird Migration - Spring 2015

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Weather and Songbird Migration
Journey North News
Learner.org

Spring 2015: Wednesdays, February 25 - May 6, 2015

Welcome!
Ornithologist Dr. David Aborn is back this spring to share the secrets of weather and migration. In his weekly Weather Forecasts for Migrating Songbirds, learn to read weather maps and predict when you will see songbirds traveling through YOUR locale.

Weather and Songbird Migration: Spring 2015
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:Feb. 25, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

Today I begin my reports about spring songbird migration, although for much of the country it hasn't felt much like spring! (That includes here in Tennessee, where it is snowing—with more snow expected tomorrow!) Nonetheless, there are signs spring is approaching.

Signs of Spring
For the past week I have been hearing the first robins, cardinals, and Song sparrows singing, which is about a month later than I heard them last year. The bluebirds are pairing up and are busily checking out nest sites. Best of all, ...

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News

Weather and Migration
Songbird migration is very dependent on weather conditions, so in order to understand when and where songbird migration may occur, you need to know how to read a weather map.
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Let's get started with my tutorial on how to read a weather map and how weather affects bird migration!

• How to Read a Weather Map from a Songbird's Point of View

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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:Mar. 4, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

The first migrants of 2015 have arrived! While we are still in the grip of winter, a few days of southerly winds have allowed a few migrants to trickle in. In Texas, Purple Martins and Tree Swallows were seen. Tree Swallows also showed up in southern Georgia, while a birder in Louisiana saw the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird. ...

What does this week's weather map indicate about what's ahead for migrating songbirds?

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:Mar. 11, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

Last Week's Gulf Coast/Southern Arrivals

The southerly winds that gave us the warm temperatures also brought in some of the early migrating species. We saw lots of Tree Swallows, along with Yellow-throated Warblers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and a Black-and-white Warbler.

Early migrants have been showing up all along the Gulf Coast, especially Purple Martins and Northern Parulas. Northern Rough-winged Swallows were also seen in Louisiana. A few of the birds have been able to make it a little farther north, with Purple Martins making to Oklahoma, and Tree Swallows showing up here in Tennessee.

I hope those migrants are comfortable, because many of them won’t be going anywhere for a while.

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:Mar. 18, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

Last Week's Gulf Coast/Southern Arrivals

Progress Northward
Last week I mentioned that swallows and martins were plentiful along the Gulf coast. Well, those southerly winds and clear skies have allowed them to get into the Midwest. Barn Swallows were seen in Oklahoma, while Tree Swallows and Purple Martins were sighted in Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio.

New Gulf Coast/Southern Arrivals
The good flying weather has also meant that there have been a lot of new arrivals in the southern US.
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Western Arrivals
There were also good flying conditions out West, and migration picked up out there as well.
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Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:Mar. 25, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

Slow in East and Gulf Coast
Winds have been from the south over much of the southern US, allowing migrants already around to make it a little farther north, and for a few new arrivals along the Gulf Coast. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were seen in Washington, DC, and the first Prairie Warblers, Hooded Warblers, and Worm-eating Warblers were seen in Alabama and Louisiana.
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Much Activity in the West!
It has been a much different story out West. Weather conditions have been very favorable to migrants. Orange-crowned Warblers, Audubon’s Warblers, Painted Redstarts, Hutton’s Vireos, and Scott’s Orioles all made appearances in Arizona.
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Weather Map: This Week's Outlook
Will things get better for migrants in the East? Will conditions remain good in the West? Let’s look at the weather map and see!

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:April 1, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

Gulf Coast and the East Welcome Migrants
Birders in Louisiana saw hundreds of Tree Swallows, in addition to the first sightings of Yellow-throated Vireos, Red-eyed Vireos, Indigo Buntings, Swainson’s Warblers, Eastern Kingbirds, and Orchard Orioles. The first Cape May Warblers and Prairie Warblers arrived in Alabama, and here in Tennessee ...

Much Activity in the West!
There has been a lot of activity in the west as well. The first Violet-green Swallows arrived in New Mexico, while Lazuli Buntings, Plumbeous Vireos, Bell’s Vireos, Scott’s Orioles, and Yellow Warblers were ...

Weather Map: This Week's Outlook
So, will this week be another good week for migration, or is Mother Nature playing an April Fool’s trick on us? Let’s look at the weather map and see!

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:April 8, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

Stop and go, stop and go. That has been the pattern of migration this past week as series of fronts and low-pressure areas have been bringing an alternating pattern of good flying weather followed by bad. When conditions have been good, there a lot of migration was taking place.

Gulf Coast and the Southeast Welcome Migrants
Over the weekend, 11 different warbler species were seen along the Texas and Louisiana coasts, including over 50 Hooded Warblers at one site in Louisiana, and the first Swainson’s Warblers, Cerulean Warblers, American Redstarts, and Blue-winged Warblers. Painted Buntings ...

Better in the West
Migration out West has been a bit better, with a steadier movement of birds throughout the week. Among the new arrivals were Vaux’s Swifts in California and Oregon, Lucy’s Warblers in Arizona, and the smallest migrant in the world ...

So how does this week look for migration? Well, all I can say is I hope the birds like it where they are! Here's what's coming:

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:April 15, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

April showers may bring May flowers, but they don’t do much for songbird migration! All the frontal systems and low pressure areas have made for a lot of bad flying weather, but migrants have taken advantage of the few clear windows there have been.

... Here in Tennessee we had the first arrivals of Ovenbirds, Cerulean Warblers, Blue-winged Warblers, and Baltimore Orioles. The strong southerly winds helped push migrants well into New England and the upper Midwest, Tree Swallows arriving in Maine, Vermont, and South Dakota, while Chimney Swifts showed up in North Dakota, and a Nashville Warbler was seen in Minnesota.

As predicted, migration went more smoothly out West. Good flying weather prevailed most of the week, and birders were rewarded with lots of sightings, especially in California. ...

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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[Cirsium]

Weather and Songbird Migration:April 22, 2015
Journey North
Learner.org

David Aborn
North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy
Chattanooga, TN

First Fallout!
It was soggy for much of last week, which meant birds were grounded for quite a while. (Here in Chattanooga we got 6 inches of rain!) One thing that happened was the first fallout of the spring! (See my post on March 4th for an explanation fallout.) It happened in Alabama. ...

Moving North as Weather Clears
... Other recent arrivals here include Tennessee Warblers, Blue-winged Warblers, American Redstarts, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Some redstarts have also made it into Pennsylvania, along with Yellow Warblers and Wood Thrushes. House Wrens, Indigo Buntings, and Eastern Kingbirds were recently seen in Massachusetts ...

Progress Out West
Out West, migration continues to be steady. Many of the species are ones I have mentioned in previous weeks, and some of the more numerous arrivals include many Nashville Warblers and Wilson’s Warbler in California ...

Migration is peaking in the southern US, and is well underway in the north. It will be over before you know it, so get out there and enjoy it!

Weather and Songbird Migration Update | Journey North News
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