As Helen harks to the sounds of migrating birds, I am still waiting for the first one to whack itself cold against the window at the Student Union. I check every morning, taking a short detour down the pedestrian ramp and parking my bike against the retaining wall at the bottom of the stair. Up two flights I go, two steps at a time, strangely excited about the possibility of seeing a dead bird, and the more beautiful the better. Common Yellowthroats, Magnolia or Hooded Warblers ---any would do. An Ovenbird would do.
All I’ve found to date are dead cicadas, wren-sized and plastic-coated, with mouths like the grilles on mid-century sedans. Evidently they bear enough weight and speed to kill themselves like birds against a pane of glass.
If our migration seems behind schedule this year, not so: According to published records and my own notes, it’s too early to worry or complain about it. But I’ve already started hunting! The kids are in school. Some friends leave next week for a hawking trip in Wyoming, of all places. While they're there chasing white-tailed jacks, I'll be here, impatiently waiting for little birds to arrive.
UPDATE 12 Sept.: Female CYT beneath Union window this AM...
5 comments:
Hey Matt,
The migration seems about on schedule here in NM. I had two Coops in my yard the other day chasing my homers, one passage and one haggard. This morning a nice female passage RT was perched on the pole above my loft, she's not a local either. Yesterday, out in Stanley which is at the northern end of the Estancia valley, a major migration and staging area, my wife and I, were looking for merlins and ferrugs for next weeks trapping, when we turned down this one dirt road to find Swainson's hawks everywhere. During the height of their migration through the valley there will be hundreds of them milling around on every cut field chowing down on grasshoppers. Teal and trapping start next weekend!!
Hey Paul---looks like you're ahead of us a bit. But we've got a cool front coming in 48 hrs and maybe something will show up with it.
A young male Coops is hanging out in the Coulsons' yard every day, catching a few birds and also seeming to catch insects in the lawn. Very tame. No idea if its a migrant---Coops are common here year round.
Anyone else have thoughts or obervations on the migration?
Hey guys,
Here a bit farther north we are in the midst of the bulk of our migration - maybe a week later than "usual".
Large numbers of warblers - mostly Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned but also many thrushes, Catbirds and Brown Thrashers. Of course with them comes the attending accipiters, Coopers and Sharp-shinned, following their moving feast.
They are heading your way soon!
John Carlson
Things seem slow here yet. No serious Cooper's attempt on my pigeons (I'll probably regret saying that!) Only one Rufous hummingbird seen. The Bosque on the Rio Grande is dry so can't see the usual Arctic collection of Yellowlegs, other "Tringas", phalaropes etc. The Swainsons, as Paul said, are fattening on grasshoppers. And I just heard Lesser goldfinches in the trees when I did my morning feeding-- some are resident but we see a lot more in fall. More to come-- Matt, post again when you get more!
Chas, how about you? You are halfway between John in Montana and us.
Too bad Helen can't post right now. How about Johnny UK?
And Darren-- anyone else out there in England? And Carel in Utah, Annie D out east? Let's do a migration map!
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