Good numbers of migrants on the UNO campus today (to my surprise)

As I walked onto campus this morning, I was not expecting many migrants to be around- there were south winds last night, which normally stimulates any migrants that have stopped over head out on the next leg of their journey.

In between the Education and Liberal Arts buildings, a group of ornamental Water Oaks was buzzing with warblers:
3 Bay-breasted Warbler
American Redstart
Black-and-White
Black-throated Green
Yellow
Tennessee

This prompted me to have a look at the Fine Arts Woods, where about 35 minutes of effort produced a nice collection:
4 E Kingbirds
3 Eastern Wood-Pewee
1 Gray Catbird
2 Swainson's Thrush

Black-and-White
Tennessee
3 Bay-breasted
2 Magnolia
Yellow

2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 Summer Tanager
and I'm sure that more time would have turned up more- even in a tiny area of habitat like that, stuff can escape detection.

On my way out an hour or so later, I noticed a Pewee on the south side of the library, where a few other birds moving in the shade trees seemed to be another Pewee and a Tanager, but I couldn't stop to confirm.

With north winds tonight, hopefully birds will stick around for tomorrow.

Of course, after completely mis-forecasting the number of birds today based on last night's weather, perhaps I should shy away from more prognostication!

Peter

Couturie this afternoon

Prompted by various reports of migrants accumulating in City Park along the Couturie nature trails during the day, I stopped by for 20-30 minutes in the early afternoon.

I only scratched the surface of the area, but ran into a fine selection of birds and other birders- I can remember the day when running into birders in such numbers in New Orleans was much rarer.  A fine trend!

I spent most of my time with a single flock that was focused on some mature Live Oaks a few hundred yards in:

1 Eastern Wood-Pewee

2 Yellow-throated Vireo
2 Red-eyed Vireo

3 Tennessee Warbler (one male, two female)
2 Bay-breasted Warbler (male and female)
2 Baltimore Oriole (both male)
1 Blackburnian Warbler (male)
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler (male)
1 Magnolia Warbler (male)
1 Yellow Warbler (male)
1 Black-throated Green Warbler (male)
1 Prothonotary Warbler (female)

2 Baltimore Oriole

I also had a scattering of other migrants elsewhere on the walk in and out, and other observers during the day reported Blackpoll and Cape May Warblers, among others.

The birds will probably depart tonight, unless more rain moves in by nightfall, or north winds arrive by then (the front approaches, but looks like it will arrive too late to deter departure)

Peter

Migrants in Jefferson batture

I spent 50 minutes today, mid-morning, in the Jefferson batture across from Jefferson Playground.  This area is laden with mulberries, which often hold a selection of migrants this time of year even when weather conditions (like today's south winds) are not conducive to making birds stop over in our area.  Highlights were:
30 Cedar Waxwing
10 Indigo Bunting
2 Tennessee Warbler (one singing)
2 Painted Bunting (female-type plumage)
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 Summer Tanager
1 Blue Grosbeak
1 Wood Thrush (singing)
1 Gray Catbird
1 Northern-Rough-winged Swallow
1 Sedge Wren (the most surprising species, as it is out of habitat; sang vigorously for ~ 2 minutes)

Peter

Mississippi Kites back on territory

Yesterday in the late afternoon I spotted my first Mississippi Kite of the spring- a bird swooping eratically over West Esplanade just west of David Drive, on the Metairie/Kenner line.

This morning as I drove away from my house in Old Jefferson, a pair was perched shoulder to shoulder in a large Water Oak on my street.  Their seemingly simultaneous arrival is is interesting- I wonder if mated pairs migrate across the Gulf together?

Mississippi Kites are among our last tropical migrants to return each spring- arriving typically right about this time.

This does not mean migration is over- indeed, the next seven days are (more or less) the traditional all-around peak of migration in south Louisiana.

Peter

Playing the weather to see more spring migrants

Along the Gulf Coast (and in the New Orleans area), spring migration is notoriously boom and bust- there can be huge numbers of migrants around one day, and virtually none the next.  Although the birding and ornithological communities don't have this entirely figured out yet, it is generally understood that most of this variation can be explained by weather patterns, and how migrants respond to them.

Some basic background information:

1)  warblers, buntings, thrushes, and other smallish land bird migrants tend to wait for favorable weather conditions before they migrate.  The most critical deal-breaker is a headwind, but active precipitation can also make them delay.

2) the bulk of these species migrate nocturnally.

3) they usually fly a couple thousand feet overhead.

In spring, these migrants are arriving from across the Gulf of Mexico.  They are generally understood to leave the tropics (especially the Yucatan) near sunset, fly all night, and arrive over the Louisiana coast in the middle of the next day- most commonly between 11 am- 3 pm but it may be earlier if they are hastened by a strong tailwind, or later if delayed by a strong headwind. Thus, while over land they would normally land shortly before sunrise, they are forced to continue flying during daylight by being over the water.  Their arrival can usually be seen on unfiltered weather radar (eg, rap.ucar.edu) as a light blue haze of echoes that appears to our south and then envelopes us. 

Amazingly, the norm under favorable weather (lack of precip or headwind) is for these migrants to head straight over us undetected, and land in a dispersed fashion in the parishes to our north, beyond Lake Pontchartrain, maybe tens of miles beyond.  LSU ornithologist George Lowery, who figured most of this stuff out decades ago, dubbed coastal and near-coastal areas of state the "coastal hiatus" for this reason.

Any inclement weather (a switch to headwinds with the passing of a cold front, or rain) confronting birds migrating across the Gulf will cause increased numbers of birds to stop in New Orleans (and on the coast), which we call a fallout.  However, timing is critical- if the headwinds arrive in late afternoon or later, the migratory flight may have passed us and fallout is less likely.  Likewise, if a rain event happens before or after they are passing overhead, it may produce little or no grounding.   

Rain-induced fallout birds will generally leave us at nightfall if the rain has moved on, while many frontal-fallout birds will hang around for days until tailwinds resume.  Thus, for a rain event, it is advisable to ditch work and get out biriding in the afternoon immediately after the rain falls.  For a frontal fallout, you can wait and call in sick the next morning.

There are no fronts scheduled for the next few days, so we may have to wait a bit for our next major pulse of birds, unless we luck out and get a midday rain event.  In general, frontal passages become farther and farther apart as spring progresses, providing fewer opportunities for fallouts.   There are enough migrants passing to make decent fallouts possible until May 12 or so, after which the volume of migratory flow drops sharply.

Good birding,

Peter

Birding Made Easy-New Orleans can be purchased via the Paypal button on this blog ($24 including shipping), or by sending me a personal check (email me for specs), or for $24.95 at local bookstores.  It is now available at:

Uptown:  Garden District Book Shop, Maple Street Book Shop, Octavia Books
French Quarter and Marigny:  Peach Records, Fauborg Marigny Art Books Music, Librairie Book Shop, Beckham's Bookshop, Arcadian Books and Prints, the Crabnet
Mid City:  City Park Botanical Garden, Community Book Center

Metairie:  Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan:  Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore:  Mandeville Chiropractic

Questions?  Email me at birding.made.easy.new.orleans@gmail.com

  

This morning at South Point

I visited South Point in the Bayou Sauvage NWR this morning, curious as to whether there would be any cross-lake land bird movement northbound.  I have witnessed it on three other spring occasions now- once a few weeks ago and twice last year, always into north winds such as we had this morning.  My supposition is that the phenomenon in spring involves "fallout" birds that had paused recently in coastal or near-coastal areas south of here, following the urge to head north by moving in daylight instead of waiting for the traditional nocturnal travel window.

There was movement across the lake, but it was light.  Lake-crossers in the 40 minutes I watched included 5 Indigo Buntings, 4 Eastern Kingbirds, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a Blue Grosbeak, and what appeared to be an Orchard Oriole.  There were swallows crossing as well:  5 Purple Martin,8 Barn, 2 Tree, and a Rough-winged.  Ten Chimney Swifts.

The highlight was Red-headed Woodpeckers- unusual south of Lake Pontchartrain.  Two crossed together, and then a while later two more approached but aborted.  I cannot say with complete confidence that these were different from the first two, because on some occasions birds double back from well out over the water and reappear at the point, seemingly conflicted in their intentions.

As usual, there were a variety of other species to be seen.  Cliff Swallows at the crabbing bridge were coming close, looking me in the eye.  Along the walk between there and the levee Hooded and Tennessee Warblers and a Catbird were all singing in the scrubby edge, a flock of six Blue Grosbeaks were kicking up the road ahead of me, a few Indigo Buntings and a scolding White-eyed Vireo were mixed in, and a couple Ruby-throated Hummers were zipping around.

Oddly, a rail- probably Sora- kicked out of the roadside weeds, and landed five feet up in a honeysuckle tangle!  I approached and it eventually jumped out the far side and made its get away.

The impounded marsh was stalked by coot (still a flock of 15 or so apparent winterers hanging in, plus the scattered pairs of presumed breeders), a scattering of Black-necked Stilts, a few Blue-winged Teal and Mottled Ducks, and the usual herons and egrets.  Several Anhingas circling overhead, and a Prothonotary singing in the tallows.   Sora whinnying.  The tidal marsh attracted a few flyby Solitary Sandpipers and one Greater Yellowlegs.  Clapper Rails and Common Yellowthroats were advertising, as well as a lingering Sedge Wren.

At the base of the Hwy 11 bridge, the small woodlot had a singing Red-eyed Vireo, two Orchard Orioles, a Great Crested Flycatcher, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and a singing Marsh Wren in the reeds.

Peter

Bird exodus on radar last night

The recent cold front seemed to put birds down in a rather patchy way.  Last night the winds had switched to have a southerly component, and (as is typically the case) the birds grounded by the front took the opportunity to leave on the tailwind.

Most songbirds migrate at night- the images below are from 8:15 and 8:53 last night, respectively.  Track the green blob as it moves northwest between the two images.  It indicates an apparent concentration of them taking off from the English Turn area (a large wooded patch), and heading NW at what appears to be about 45 mph (~30 miles in 40 minutes, eyeballing it).  The other light blue, starting in the first pic but greatly expanded in the second, is probably also birds taking off in lower densities and heading north, but could include bugs and other "aerial plankton."

The English Turn concentration is interesting, as someone who lives in a nearby part of Algiers reported their lawn being covered in Indigo Buntings- they may have been on the edge of that concentration of migrants.

Out my window right now (noon) are extensive glowering clouds- a widespread rainfall can act like a cold front, forcing migrants coming north across the Gulf to stop in our area, sometimes in impressive numbers.  Oddly, in good weather with a tailwind, they simply by-pass

us and head inland, too high up for us to see (except on radar).   If the rain is gone by nightfall, they leave the same night (often).

Let's see what happens!

Peter

Mockingbird fledglings

The first mockingbird fledglings of the spring at UNO and in my hood have made it out of their nests, and are relentlessly soliticing food from their parents.  A mockingbird fledgling makes little effort to conceal its hunger, producing a high frail sssseeeeeeee endlessly as the parents scramble around hunting for food.

Since the nesting cycle takes 3+ weeks from the start of incubation to leaving the nest, these birds are from nests that began around the middle of March.

Mockingbirds in our area can produce as many as three successful broods in a nesting season; these birds may be at it through August.

Peter

First Least Terns back in New Orleans

I saw my first Least Terns of the season an hour ago, over the floodwater retention ponds at Earhardt x Clearview in Metairie.  Two birds.

They usually nest on several rooftops in the greater metro area (all South Shore, as far as I know).  Last year they did so on the roof of my building at UNO- I'm hoping they do an encore!

Peter

Birding Made Easy-New Orleans can be purchased via the Paypal button on this blog ($24 including shipping), or by sending me a personal check (email me for specs), or for $24.95 at local bookstores.  It is now available at:

Uptown:  Garden District Book Shop, Maple Street Book Shop, Octavia Books
French Quarter and Marigny:  Peach Records, Fauborg Marigny Art Books Music, Librairie Book Shop, Beckham's Bookshop, Arcadian Books and Prints, the Crabnet
Mid City:  City Park Botanical Garden, Community Book Center

Metairie:  Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan:  Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore:  Mandeville Chiropractic

Questions?  Email me at birding.made.easy.new.orleans@gmail.com

  

A few migrants at UNO

I stole 30 minutes to look for migrants in the woods by the Fine Arts building at UNO this morning (a tiny wooded patch).  Birds were quiet, but I managed to sleuth out:
2 Hooded Warbler
1 American Redstart (black and orange male)
1 Ovenbird
1 Kentucky Warbler
1 Worm-eating Warbler
1 Common Yellowthroat
1 White-eyed Vireo
1 probable Gray Catbird (singing softly)

In nearby shade trees were a pair of Indigo Buntings.  A UNO colleague reported 2 Summer Tanagers yesterday at the same spot, and Scarlet Tanager and Worm-eating Warbler in shade trees elsewhere on campus.  There should continue to be some songbird migrants around while the north winds hold them here.

I close with a photo of a brilliant male Summer Tanager taken recently in a backyard in Marrero, by Paul Wolf.

Peter

Gull-billed Terns back over Metairie

Thirty minutes ago, I was delighted to see two Gull-billed Terns winging strongly eastward over the Rouse's on David Drive- my first of the year.

Their flight path did not take them to or from any rooftop nesting site that I know of- I wonder if they will take up housekeeping on a new location this spring.

The migrants keep coming...

Peter

Birding Made Easy-New Orleans It is now available at:

Uptown:  Garden District Book Shop, Maple Street Book Shop, Octavia Books
French Quarter and Marigny:  Peach Records, Fauborg Marigny Art Books Music, Librairie Book Shop, Beckham's Bookshop, Arcadian Books and Prints, the Crabnet
Mid City:  City Park Botanical Garden, Community Book Center

Metairie:  Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan:  Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore:  Mandeville Chiropractic

Questions?  Email me at birding.made.easy.new.orleans@gmail.com