We can see a few birds on the move darting and weaving between rain cells last night. At least it’s something!
New arrivals being reported: Vaux’s Swifts, Common Yellowthroat, and now all five swallows.
Update? What update? Not happening here.
Let’s look at something more enticing: the night flight across the Florida Straits.
Sigh.
Looking elsewhere:
This is way past getting old so lets not discuss it.
Black-headed Grosbeaks in San Diego, Ospreys, Rufus Hummingbirds, and most Swallows are firmly established in the Metro Region.
Elsewhere at the national level we can see the SE and Gulf Coast hopping. A few storms to dodge here and there but plenty of open air. Thanks Paul!
Update: NWS Portland @NWSPortland 27 minutes ago
We haven’t had 2 consecutive dry days at PDX since Feb 12-13. 3 consecutive days? Go back to Jan 12-16 with snow on the ground and highs <32
NWS Portland @NWSPortland 14 minutes ago
After the wettest Feb on record, PDX is knocking on the door of another record in March. Record: 7.89″. Current: 7.00″
I skipped yesterday because this constant rain is getting old and keeping the birds grounded.
Last night started out the same but cleared fairly early, but still, very few migrants took advantage of the clear skies and south wind. Ah well, it’s only March.
Rain, heavy at times and easing up through the night. Sigh.
There was a nice south wind, so anxious birds braved the weather and picked their way north. Not in great numbers but fairly widespread as the weather would allow. It’s tough to pick them out between the rain cells so we have the Hydrometeor loop today to aide in finding the birds; a little like finding Waldo.
American White Pelicans have been reported in the region, a few more Western Kingbirds and Osprey as well. Ruby-crowned Kinglets are starting to sing. It’s a wonderful song and we only get a small window in early spring to hear it before they clear the area as they head north to the breeding grounds.
Pacific Slope Flycatcher reported in the Central Valley is a first arrival.
A very rainy weekend — again. It cleared up late Saturday night but too late for any birds of significant numbers to move north.
But, last night was clear and there was an accommodating south wind so the birds were on the move. We’re still at the beginning of the migration so we are not getting “green doughnuts” but we do have some 20+ dBZ returns.
In the Central Valley more Western Kingbirds are being reported as well as Common Yellowthroats. In the Portland area Violet-green Swallows, Rufus Hummingbirds, Osprey and an increasing number of shorebirds. I observed over sixty Greater Yellowlegs, a few L.B. Dowitchers and a large flock of peeps (unidentified) on the wing this weekend.
The Central and Mississippi Flyways were also pretty active last night. National Composite Radar is included thanks to Paul
First clear night in a LONG time and winds out of the south = a pretty decent and widespread movement of north bound migrants. Decent enough that i even put in the loop from Gray’s Harbor (LGX)
Looking at the wind map we can see why there was very little movement up the Atlantic Flyway and some decent flights up the Central Flyway.
A few shorebirds are popping up, swallows are becoming more widely reported including early vanguard Cliff and Northern Rough-wing, and the Snow Goose numbers are way down on Sauvie Island.
This is getting old – rain.
It rained most of the night keeping the birds hunkered down. Early in the morning the rain cells moved through and only a few insomniacs took advantage of the window.
Well, another night of rain. The birds are still fighting to get north and picking their way through the gaps and along the edges. The Hydrometeor sounding is the best way to see this so it is the loop i put in the gallery today.
I also put in a snap of the National Composite from Paul’s archive. Really, the only activity is in Texas and the Central Valley of CA. So, we’re not in a full blown race to the north yet — but soon.
birds over portland - 2 