House Wrens, Western Tanagers, Brown-headed Cowbirds, American Biterns, scads of shorebirds (usual migrants), more Nashville and Black-throated Gray Warblers, Gray Flycatchers (east side). It get to be hard to catch up, oh and another Hermit/Swainson’s Thrush debate.
Pretty decent movement last night. Again, not “Green Doughnut” great but widespread at 20 dBZ+.
We’re going to save disk space today – no radar loops. They’re pretty boring anyway — 10 dBZ with only a few patches up into the 20’s.
Most action was out of Ridgefield and Steigerwald. Nationally the Central Flyway was the hot spot. See Paul’s archive for that loop.
But we are getting reports. In the metro area: Nashville Warblers, Hammond’s Flycatcher (earliest by six days) Vesper and Chipping Sparrows.
And a remarkable House Wren in Clallam County, WA.
Admin. note — i will be off grid until next Wednesday. See the sidebar for links to stay abreast of this Spring’s migration.
Purple Martin have made it to the Metro Area. As well some shorebird movement with Black-bellied Plovers and Lesser Yellowlegs being reported.
Black-headed Grosbeak, Wilson’s and Nashville Warblers now being reported in San Diego area — they’re on their way!
Messy radar images from last night due to cloud cover and patches of rain, so we’ll check in on the National Scene.
A large storm system from Texas to New England restricted migration to the SE much like the last time we checked in on the 27th. Note the lift off from Cuba as birds cross the Straits to the Keys.
We’ve had a couple of excellent nights for migration back to back. And the whole Pacific Flyway was lit up last night.
But our local radar, KRTX:
68 NOUS66 KPQR 040251 FTMRTX Message Date: May 04 2017 06:20:01 THE KRTX (PORTLAND) RADAR HAS FAILED AND WILL BE DOWN UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. TECH NICIANS ARE ASSESSING THE ISSUE.
Anyway: Nashville and Orange-crowned warblers are moving through in extraordinary numbers.A lone report of an Olive-sided Flycatcher, scattered Bullock’s Orioles and Western Kingbirds are also in the area. Waterfowl numbers continue to drop. Locally we’re waiting on Swainson’s Thrush, Western Wood Pewee, and Lazuli Bunting.
Nesting and even some fledglings are now being reported (and seen) as well.
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.
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
Crimony. Is it ever going to stop raining? Thank goodness we have a president that is gutting all of out climate change initiatives and research.
Anyway, we can see some decent movement between the rain cells here in the Metro area. But if you want to see really dodgy flight behavior take a look at the Aberdeen (ABR) loop i put in the gallery today! And a static shot of the National Composite — lots going on last night.
Western Wood Pewees in San Diego, while up here: more Nashville Warblers, Yellow Warblers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Warbling Vireos and even a Hermit Warbler. All pretty much on schedule. Shorebird migration is underway as well.
A solid night of ….. rain. I’m sure birds are slipping through, we just can’t see them.
So i put in the National Composite (thanks Paul) and the wind map. A good study today about migration and weather. Big flight up the Central Flyway, shut down behind the squall line but advancement up the Atlantic Flyway ahead of the weather.
Central Valley is reporting Bullock’s Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Purple Martins, House Wrens, Wilson’s, Nashville and Yellow Warblers. The Yellow and Nashville Warblers have made it to the Metro Area as well as the Purple Martins.
It’s been a non-stop bird fest throughout the weekend. We’ve had heavy migration with more new arrivals being reported in the Region: Vaux’s Swift, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Western Tanager — all come to mind and i’m probably forgetting a few.
Notable departures: Sandhill Cranes are WAY down on Sauvie Island, it’s hard to come by any more than a few straggling ducks except residents and Green-winged Teal. I haven’t seen a Pintail in a week or so. Junco’s are back up in the hills and Varied Thrush have disappeared as well.
Full regional coverage today. The weekend looked about the same.
Moderate movement around the region last night but heavier than last night.
Early House Wrens, more Nashville Warblers and Cassin’s Vireos. Common Yellowthroats are everywhere now. Vesper Sparrows have returned to their north valley breeding grounds.
The weather is a mixed and confused bag of competing systems right now, so it’s hard to tell where this is going in the next few days.
birds over portland - 2 