01 May 2017 – PNW Migration Update

Base Reflectivity – RTX

And then there were birds!

Big weekend for the Pacific Flyway.  I have the Friday/Saturday loop, but left in on another computer; it looks pretty much like today’s Sunday/Monday loop.  Saturday/Sunday was muted by weather.

More arrivals: Western Kingbird, Western Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, Black-headed and Evening Grosbeak,  Bullock’s Oriole, Sora, Empids, Wilson’s and Nashville Warbler, and Cassin’s and Warbling Vireo.  All five Swallows have now been reported as well as Vaux’s Swift. Big numbers of the early migrants as well, House Wren, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned Warblers.  Pelicans and Purple Martins are more widely reported on Sauvie Island.

Many birds are already on, or building, nests and even some fledglings are being seen.  I even saw a Green-winged Teal male transitioning to eclipse plumage this weekend.

I haven’t seen or heard a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in a while; Golden-crowned Sparrow numbers are down, Migrant Fox and Lincoln’s Sparrows are pretty much off the radar.  Water Fowl numbers are dropping as well.

Let’s see, what’s left?  From memory (so don’t hold me to this) Swainson’s Thrush,  Yellow Warbler, Western Wood Pewee, Red-eyed Vireo (rare but annual nesting resident) Willow Flycatcher and ……?

I really should change the title of these posts.  The Pacific Northwest is a big place and i don’t keep tabs of much outside of the Portland/Vancouver Basin and the Willamette Valley.  So, for example, when the Puffins return to the coast, i’ll miss it by a couple of weeks to a month, they’re back, but i’m not sure of when they arrived.

24 April 2017 – PNW Migration Update

Personally, i am really tired of: 1) being time constrained due to obligations during the work week and 2) RAIN.

I only have one static image from Friday/Saturday, when it wasn’t raining for most of the night, that shows a really nice flight up the Pacific Flyway.

But birds are finding a way to push north.  Lots of new arrivals: American White Pelican, Black-headed Grosbeak, Warbling and Cassin’s Vireo, Wilson, Yellow, Hermit and Nashville Warblers, all expected Empids, Western Tanager, Vaux’s Swift, Cinnamon Teal, Sora, American Bittern, Bullock’s Oriole, Western Kingbird and in San Diego Lazuli Bunting.

A lot of these birds are slightly ahead of schedule

Fiday/Saturday National Composite Radar

21 March 2017 – PNW Migration Update

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.

Hydrometeor Classification – RTX

Winds of the Earth

29 July 2016 – PNW Migration Update

Flights are still on the light side for the most part, but there is movement and there are pockets of moderate to heavy migration.  Take a look at the ATX (Seattle) radar and note the small, but dense, pulse of birds crossing the Strait over to the Peninsula.

The gulls and pelicans are beginning to build in numbers in the Metro area wetlands just as the first wave of shorebirds begins to taper off.  Last weekend there were 2-3 hundred pelicans out on Sauvie Island and reports of roughly the same number over at Smith-Bybee.  Every year it seems we are getting more and more, and this year, arriving earlier.

Base Reflectivity – ATX

Base Reflectivity – RTX

05 April 2016 – PNW Migration Update

Too much to do on the weekends – but the nocturnal flights during the good weather were in the moderate to heavy range.  Alas, i didn’t archive any loops.

Today, with cross winds, the flight was light last night.

Take a look at the Wind Map  and you can see why the Central Flyway had most of the action.

Common Yellowthroat, Barn Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Caspian Tern, Chipping Sparrow, Black-throated Gray Warbler, American White Pelican — all now being reported in good numbers in the Portland/Vancouver Basin.

Early arrivals in Oregon include: Vaux’s Swift, Nashville Warbler, Pacific-slope Flycatcher.

As well as arrivals there are also departures,  Tundra Swan, Snow Goose, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Duck  — all significantly down in numbers

Base Reflectivity – RTX

Winds of the Earth

National Composite Radar