Eastern Shore Migration Update: October 8, 2026

Stronger southwesterly winds came in overnight, stalling out overnight migration and bringing somewhat warmer temperatures to the area today. Sunset Beach morning flight was slow, with totals of 21 species and 153 individuals were counted.

Not much was moving this morning at Sunset Beach on the steady southwesterlies. The slight trickle was primarily southbound into the wind, with Yellow-rumped being the most numerous with 18. There were a few raptors moving into the wind, including a migrating juvenile tundra type Peregrine Falcon. Other falcons were clearly finding something to eat around the area on the windy day, and both a Peregrine and a Merlin were seen eating unidentified passerines on the wing while floating into the wind.

Tundra Peregrine Falcon

Raptors continued on the move at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch. Birds were lower on the southerly winds, and falcons had a decent little push in the afternoon. One notable sighting at the hawkwatch was a very late Orchard Oriole in the shrubs around the platform and checking out the hummingbird feeder, typically one of the earliest migrants to depart the area and not expected past early September. Twenty-two American White Pelicans were also spotted out to the seaside as they drifted north, always an unexpected surprise on any given day on the Eastern Shore but fairly regular in later fall.

Orchard Oriole

Northerly winds return overnight, which should hopefully bring a good flight of nocturnal migrants to the area tomorrow. Winds are forecasted to remain light out of the northeast with cloud cover throughout the day, which should make for good hawkwatching.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20261007

Eastern Shore Migration Update: October 7, 2026

Light easterly winds and clear skies made for a somewhat slower morning at Sunset Beach, though as always there were still some birds on the move including a few more first-of-seasons. Totals of 45 species and 1608 individuals were counted.

Today featured the expected blend of light morning flight and forward migration associated with a calm day following a significant flight two nights ago, with generally diminished numbers and diversity compared to yesterday. Both nocturnal and diurnal migrants were moving in both directions as birds milled around the tip of the peninsula on very light winds. The most numerous migrant counted was Blue Jay, totaling 571 southbound and 228 northbound individuals as flocks streamed by towards the tip of the peninsula while others reversed course. There was a modest flight of 90 Northern Flickers as well, 75 of which were southbound. Yellow-rumped Warblers were primarily southbound, with 119 south and 24 northbound. By contrast, 44 of the day’s 50 Northern Parulas were northbound. First-of-seasons for the count were represented by six northbound Eastern Meadowlarks and a northbound calling Pine Siskin.

Eastern Meadowlark

Magnolia Warbler

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a solid flight, similar to yesterday but slower overall, totaling 477 raptors. There were more pockets of low birds today for a bit of change of pace. In keeping with previous days, Sharp-shinned Hawks led the flight with 164, followed by 111 American Kestrels, and 107 Cooper’s Hawks. Of note, the hawkwatch cracked a thousand Blue Jays, totaling 1095.

Cooper's Hawk

Blue Jays

5 new Monarchs were captured released with BlūMorpho transmitters today. These new additions are CVWO-Sabrina, CVWO-Tammy, CVWO-Kristen, CVWO-Aharon, and CVWO-Ariella. CVWO-NonnieWayOut was deployed yesterday making 6 total active monarchs on the shore. Favorable Northeast winds are predicted Friday so this Monarch posse may utilize these conditions to move south and cross the bay. In the meantime, CVWO-Stephen has made significant progress and is now South of Raleigh, NC. His journey now totals 287 km in a direct line from Kiptopeke State Park.

Southwest winds overnight should stall out most nocturnal migration, though if winds are light during the day a few raptors could be moving and flying lower. 

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20261007

Eastern Shore Migration Update: October 6, 2026

The cold front provided an incredible diversity of migrants on this crisp and clear October day, and the northerlies made for a high and challenging but fun raptor flight with a standout rarity. Totals of 91 species and 2506 individuals were counted at Sunset Beach.

This was a record-setting morning in terms of overall diversity at Sunset Beach with 91 species of migrants and a total of 100 species of birds including residents in five hours of counting! A little bit of just about everything was moving this morning. There were a handful of first-of-seasons for the count including two Ring-necked Ducks, seven Dunlin, five Golden-crowned Kinglets, one each of Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Song and Swamp Sparrow, two White-throated Sparrows, and four Dark-eyed Juncos. Seeing these winter arrivals alongside early season migrants like Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Northern Yellow Warbler emphasizes just how diverse early October is on the Eastern Shore.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Black-throated Green Warbler

White Ibis

Black-throated Blue Warbler

While no species was present in extraordinarily high numbers, several birds still had good flights including the first notable push of Red-bellied Woodpeckers, 12 southbound and 25 northbound of which were counted interspersed with a nice flight of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, totaling eight south and 25 north. Modest Blue Jay numbers continued with 245 mostly southbound. Northern Parulas continue to be the most numerous warbler with 108, closely trailed by 78 Yellow-rumped Warblers.  

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a very active day with a great flight of 1030 total raptors. For most of the day starting predawn the flight was punishingly high, and oftentimes raptors would simply materialize as specks into view while scanning the blue. American Kestrels totaled 349, and Sharp-shinned Hawks also showed strongly with 274. Cooper's Hawks were also numerous totaling 157. The major highlight came towards the end of the day at 5:15 when a dark immature Swainson’s Hawk was spotted high to the northwest of the platform! The Swainson’s circled for several minutes giving great views to all before setting its wings and tracking high to the south. Notably, Cape May Bird Observatory Hawkwatch recorded two Swainson’s Hawks today including one dark immature, so this could plausibly be the first of their two birds continuing on its way some 134 miles south and 6.5 hours later.

Swainson's Hawk

Monarch NonnieWayOut with transmitter

Light easterly winds tomorrow shifting southeast will probably make for a slower morning flight, though the conditions could still be good for a nice movement of raptors.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20261006

Eastern Shore Migration Update: October 5, 2026

North winds and high overcast skies accompanied an active day of visible migration on the Eastern Shore. New high counts were obtained for two passerine migrants at Sunset Beach and raptor movements built throughout the day at the hawkwatch. Totals of 67 species and 3516 individuals were counted.

The birds of the day today at Sunset Beach were iconic early October species. Gray Catbirds had a strong flight with 404 counted as they shot north through the shrubs. Even more notable was the flight of 147 Blackpoll Warblers. Blackpolls are champion offshore migrants, performing over-ocean flights from the mid-Atlantic coast to South America. This count is nearly triple historical peak counts at this site, and a mere 20 were counted in the entire 2025 season. The recent drizzly nights and northeast winds may have brought higher numbers of this species to shore in recent days. Several other warblers appeared in good numbers as well including 29 Common Yellowthroat, 27 American Redstart, 34 Cape May Warbler, and 78 Northern Parula.

Blackpoll Warbler

Other migrants had a strong showing at Sunset Beach as well, including a Gray-cheeked/Bicknell’s Thrush giving a high call early on, a good showing of nine Belted Kingfishers, an unusual wood-pewee showing a dark lower mandible, and the late lingering Mississippi Kite out over the refuge. Four Baltimore Orioles was a good count for the date, and eleven Indigo Buntings was the best count for the season so far.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a nice flight including a classic evening falcon flight kicking into gear later in the day. American Kestrels were the most numerous overall species totaling 238, followed by 190 Merlin, and 45 Peregrine Falcons were also a good count. Sharp-shinned Hawk numbers have yet to fully materialize, and only 87 were counted today.

A cold front pushing through the area tonight seems poised to bring a slew of arrivals to the area tomorrow, though northeasterly winds will trim down the totals of overnight migrants before dawn. It should still be a very active if chilly morning at Sunset Beach, hopefully followed by a great raptor flight.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20261005

Eastern Shore Migration Update: October 3, 2026

Northeast winds and heavy overcast skies with the arriving cold front made for an active day of migration on the Eastern Shore. Warblers were moving in fair numbers with an uptick in diversity, and raptors and waterfowl showed strongly as well. Totals of 52 species and 537 individuals were counted at Sunset Beach.

Despite the northeast winds, the flight path for the majority of reorienting migrants was directly overhead, allowing for closer studies of warblers than is typical for days with this wind setup. A significant proportion of the flight consisted of more Appalachian type migrant warblers, including 39 Cape May, six Black-throated Green, four Tennessee, and singles of Chestnut-sided and Blackburnian Warbler. Other passerine diversity was fairly lacking, but two Eastern Wood-Pewees and an eastern Phoebe coming in off the bay were also counted.

Tennessee Warbler

Eastern Phoebe

Waterfowl had their best day yet with good diversity and numbers. Northern Pintail were the most numerous duck counted with several small flocks amounting to 61 in total. Blue-winged Teal tallied 25, and small numbers of American Wigeon mixed with pintail added up to 10. Two Lesser Scaup were also counted, on the earlier side for this diving duck. Sterna terns were on the move out over the bay consisting of 48 Forster’s and 43 Common, a good count for the latter species at this date. Raptors were consistently streaming over low under the clouds, highlighted by good counts of 61 American Kestrel and 14 Northern Harriers.

Raptor activity remained steady for most of the day at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch. Good totals of 287 American Kestrel, 214 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 119 Merlin, and 107 Cooper’s Hawk were obtained. Non raptors were also exciting with a clear highlight being a high flock of 16 American Golden-Plovers southbound out towards the bay. Fifty-six Great Blue Herons was a good count, as were the 90 Northern Pintail with 15 American Wigeon mixed in. Two Common Nighthawks passed over in the late afternoon, fairly late in the season for this species.

Tomorrow has interesting potential with a strong migrant liftoff tonight and chances of rain throughout the night into tomorrow. If rain holds off, it could be a good day at both Sunset Beach and the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20261003

Eastern Shore Migration Update: October 2, 2026

Southwest winds made for a slow night of nocturnal migration, and a slow morning flight. There were a fair number of waterbirds migrating out over the Chesapeake Bay along with a good early morning raptor liftoff. Totals of 37 species and 536 individuals were counted.

Most of the birds counted this morning were Forster’s Terns, which were shooting south in tight flocks low over the water totaling 130, with the largest flock being 70. A few other terns were also on the move including 23 Commons and 6 Sandwich. Three groups of Blue-winged Teal totaled 43, and one Green-winged Teal was heading north close in off the beach. American Kestrels had a nice liftoff with 38 counted. The Cooper’s to Sharp-shinned Hawk ratio was rather high, with eight coops and fourteen sharpies. Passerines were on the slower side overall. Cape May Warblers were the most abundant warbler species with 10. Blue Jays had another little push with 125 southbound and 36 northbound.

It was a somewhat slower day at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch, but the southwest winds were keeping things low down giving good views throughout the day. American Kestrels had the best numbers totaling 127, and Sharp-shinned Hawks totaled 89. Peregrine Falcons had a good count with 21, many of which were adults coming in fairly low.

Merlin

Peregrine Falcon

Northern Harrier

In Monarch news, there are currently 3 active transmitting Monarchs. The newest addition, CVWO-BrianSoar, was released late this morning from the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch, his last transmission for the day was off of US13 as he headed south of Kiptopeke State Park. CVWO-Connor released on 9/27 is still north of Roanoke Rapids, NC. CVWO-Stephen, released on 9/28 is now north of Lexington Park, MD after riding the Southwest winds north from Cape Charles. Three Monarchs in almost three different states! You can view live updates of these Monarch’s progress south to their wintering grounds on the Project Monarch app or website.

A cold front moves into the area tomorrow morning, bringing cooler temperatures and some chances for overnight rain. Depending on the rain, there could be good overnight migration, and northeast winds tomorrow will probably make for a good raptor flight. 

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20261002

Eastern Shore Migration Update: October 1, 2026

Happy October! The first day of the month was on the quieter side at Sunset Beach on light southwesterlies, though there were still a handful of warblers moving alongside some signs of the transition to the third quarter of fall migration. Totals of 44 species and 974 individuals were counted.

Southwesterly winds made for more forward migration than typical in nocturnal migrants, and even splits of northbound and southbound individuals were achieved for the day’s 30 Northern Flickers and 20 Northern Parulas. Early morning raptor liftoff was fairly strong following yesterday’s big flight, and 60 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 39 American Kestrels. A lingering Mississippi Kite appeared once again after a several day absence, marking one of few October records on the Eastern Shore.

Raptors were pushing south into the wind at the hawkwatch today, and Sharp-shinned Hawks and American Kestrels both had solid counts with 244 and 260 respectively. Birds were moving through low all day, including a few of the day’s 20 Peregrine Falcons. One of the more notable migratory movements today was the arrival of Blue Jays in numbers, totaling 158 southbound and 101 northbound at Sunset and 193 southbound and one northbound at the hawkwatch. Blue Jays are an irruptive boreal migrant, and numbers vary year-to-year based on acorn crops. Jays did not irrupt last year, and Sunset Beach counted only 43 the entire season. It will be interesting to track jay movements on the Eastern Shore this fall given few other boreal species are irrupting, though the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch did log its first Red-breasted Nuthatch of the season today.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Merlin

Winds are out of the south again tomorrow, bringing with them more warm temperatures. A large flight of migrants is not anticipated, though more raptors may continue to push on.  Tomorrow will be the last warmer day ahead of a cold front with rain chances tomorrow night through the weekend.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260930

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 30, 2026

Very light northwest winds and clearing skies made for an active morning of migration at Sunset Beach, with totals of 55 species and 1075 individuals counted.

It felt like a little bit of everything was moving today at Sunset Beach during the very calm conditions. Warblers did well for the calm conditions, and 89 Northern Parulas were most numerous. Six Northern Waterthrushes were the most counted in a little while. Yellow-rumped Warblers increased also with six, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets totaled four. A Dickcissel gave two distinctive flight calls as it moved south. Raptors were active as well highlighted by a solid flight of 64 Sharp-shinned Hawks. Four Yellow-billed Cuckoos were counted, the first that have been around in some time. The season’s first Wood Ducks were also counted, a southbound and northbound drake.

Osprey

Northern Flicker

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Northern Harrier

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch saw nearly nonstop action all day during an excellent flight of 1577 raptors with birds all over the sky. Some raptors were finding thermals and soaring up incredibly high, while others seemed to be contending more with the light southerly winds and were coming over throughout the day at treetop height. Sharp-shinned Hawks had their first big flight of the year totaling 770, and American Kestrels also showed strongly with 410. Northern Harriers were surprisingly in third place coming in at 93, and many gave excellent views over the platform. High Bald Eagles were a steady presence throughout and brought the day’s total to 50, a very good count for the site.

Radar indicates a strong local liftoff of nocturnal migrants tonight, though southwest winds will probably keep migration limited. If winds remain light through the day it could be a good day at the hawkwatch, though with diminished numbers as fewer raptors migrate into the headwind.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260930

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 29, 2026

Winds were almost completely calm today at Sunset Beach, and with little overnight wind drift, few migrants were exhibiting morning flight. There was a fair bit of activity around the count site throughout the morning under overcast skies. Uncommon migrant highlights included two Bay-breasted Warblers, one Nashville Warbler, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. A northbound Ruby-crowned Kinglet and two southbound Yellow-rumped Warblers were also counted, both sure signs that mid-fall is upon us.

It was an active day at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch, with a high raptor flight highlighted by of the best count of Sharp-shinned Hawks this season to date, tallying  236. Northern Harriers also had a good flight with 23. Monarchs were the talk of the town today, and these butterflies were in fact the most abundant migratory species counted at either of our sites! The majority of Monarchs at Sunset Beach were northbound totaling 155 before the flight began to switch to southbound towards the end of the third hour with 21 counted. The hawkwatch had primarily southbound Monarchs, with 422 moving south and 24 moving north.

Gray Catbird

CVWO now has two Project Monarch trackers currently active! CVWO-Connor was released from Kiptopeke State Park on 9/27 and CVWO-Stephen was released on 9/28. Stephen is currently on the shore, after taking a brief spin south to the ESNWR and Sunset Beach, it headed north of Kiptopeke where it transmitted from Bulter’s Bluff Road this evening. Connor arrived across the bay last night and worked its way southwest throughout the day heading towards Roanoke Rapids, NC. You can view live updates of these Monarch’s progress south to their wintering grounds on the Project Monarch app or website.

Monarch

Light south winds are forecasted for tomorrow, which may slow down migration overall though some birds should continue to move into the wind provided it stays light. Temperatures are expected to build this week for a warm finish to September.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260929 

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 28, 2026

West northwest winds provided favorable conditions for migration, though few birds were aloft last night with rain to the north associated with the lingering coastal low off the mid-Atlantic coast. There were still a few birds on the move today, and 35 species and 512 individuals were counted at Sunset Beach.

Though numbers were quite low, there was a bit of warbler diversity including two Black-throated Blue, one Magnolia, and one Blackpoll Warbler alongside more abundant species. Two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers continued to show their regional arrival. A flock of 29 southbound Fish Crows was counted as well, the first such flock noted this season.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Activity over the Chesapeake Bay was on the slow side, though Forster’s Terns have really pushed into the area in the past few days and 17 were counted this morning as migrants alongside plentiful others feeding in the vicinity. One of the local Northern Mockingbirds returned to its preferred lookout point perch this morning as well.

Northern Mockingbird

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a moderate flight of raptors, highlighted by 90 Osprey. Most other migrants were in generally low numbers, though there were a few highlights including four American White Pelicans, a first of season for this rare migrant on the lower Eastern Shore, and the hawkwatch’s first Dickcissel of the 2026 season

Very light winds tonight into tomorrow will probably not much of a flight, though there are some birds working south on the mid-Atlantic coast tonight following the passing nor’easter, and there could be some moderate morning flight to follow. The hawkwatch may similarly see a slower day with the lack of winds, though many raptors are probably rearing to go following the spell of bad weather lately.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

 

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260925

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 25, 2026

The strong north winds and overcast skies made for less-than-ideal conditions for observing morning flight, but a food migration flight last night at least brought some volume down to the lower shore. Totals of 50 species and 1295 individuals were counted.

Though there was a solid morning flight this morning, poor lighting in the early morning coupled with the strong winds forcing birds to cross the clearing low and fast made for difficult viewing, and many warblers went unidentified early on. Nonetheless, good totals of 221 American Redstart, 125 Northern Parula, and 47 Palm Warblers were counted, as well as the season’s first substantial push of 26 Common Yellowthroats and 88 Northern Flickers. Clearly storm-driven birds were less apparent this morning, though a high southbound Black Tern over land early on was a clear sign of the bad weather.

Common Yellowthroat

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a good flight today with the first push of Sharp-shinned Hawks totaling 95, 89 American Kestrels, and 22 Merlins. A few other migrants moved by in good numbers too, including 200 mostly northbound Northern Flickers, 70 Gray Catbirds, and 11 brown Thrashers. Two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks wee good to see, and the continuing Mississippi Kite made an appearance after its first absence yesterday.

The weather tomorrow shows strong north-northwest winds with the nor'easter low pressure system sitting just off the coast. The winds could bring a significant migratory movement, though precipitation up the coast may limit numbers.

Tomorrow is the annual Coastal Virginia Birdathon Fundraiser, where teams of birders descend on the coast for some friendly competition to try to see as many birds as they can. Our morning flight team will be represented by team Morning Warblers! The hawkwatch crew will be on team Counting Crows. Donate to both of our teams here: https://vawildliferesearch.org/coastal-va-birdathon

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260925

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 24, 2026

Nor’easter conditions continued today on the Eastern Shore, and both our counts saw direct impacts of the weather on bird migration. Nocturnal migration was limited by the northeasterly wind and morning flight subdued by heavy overcast skies and strong winds, but there was a very strong movement of diurnal migrants and a handful of surprises. Totals of 41 species and 2371 individuals were counted at Sunset Beach.

The harsh reality of nor’easters on coastal species was evidenced by a fresh roadkill Clapper Rail on the turn into Sunset Beach off Route 13 before sunrise. These storms flood tidal marshes with storm surge, driving marsh species upland and into dangerous situations. Fortunately, two Seaside Sparrows were able to find cover in the shrubs around Sunset Beach, and will hopefully be able to reorient to the saltmarsh.

The biggest surprise of the morning came early on when a beautiful juvenile Little Gull flew north right over the beach, a rare and early pelagic migrant surely driven into the bay by the storm. Miraculously, both of our hawk counters were able to detect the gull at points north following its passage off Sunset at 7:30; Sage saw it pass the Kiptopeke SP pier at 7:43 and Audrey picked it up over the Cape Charles pier at 8:26, making for an average speed of around ten miles per hour. Not bad for a Little Gull fighting a big wind!

Little Gull (photo by George Arnold)

Morning flight was on the slow side, but two first-of-season Blackpoll Warblers were counted. Forward migrants stole the day, with the most numerous species being 611 White Ibis, 206 Double-crested Cormorant, 81 Osprey, and 31 Great Blue Heron. Large groups of Tree Swallows were moving steadily north into the wind all morning totaling 1248.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a productive day with another strong flight primarily composed of 127 Osprey, 132 Merlin, and 53 American Kestrels. Northern Harriers also had a good day with 17 counted, while Peregrine Falcons dropped off hard from yesterday with only 4. An unexpected nor’easter related highlight was a Virginia Rail flushed from the field next to the platform.

Strong north winds tonight and tomorrow should bring good nocturnal and diurnal migration tonight and tomorrow, and it will be interesting to see if storm-related impacts continue on our counts.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260924

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 23, 2026

Today was the first full day of bona fide nor’easter conditions with howling northeast winds, low overcast skies and intermittent drizzle throughout the day. The conditions were not conducive to nocturnal migration, though several species of raptor capitalized on the tailwinds making for a great flight at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch.

Sunset Beach saw a relatively slow morning overall given the blasting winds, though terns and especially Laughing Gulls were streaming past the count site in good numbers, perhaps in response to being pushed up into the bay. Other bayside sightings included a Sanderling and a Western Sandpiper that put down on the beach briefly before continuing north. The count logged the first two American Black Ducks of the season as well as two Northern Pintail.

Sanderling and Western Sandpiper

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch saw an excellent flight of Osprey today totaling 410, including many individuals moving south before sunrise and after sunset. An incredible show of 62 Peregrine Falcons and 168 Merlins, an especially high Peregrine total for this month before their peak migration.

Strong northeast winds will continue tomorrow, and with a much more significant migratory liftoff tonight there may actually be some morning flight, though nearly all birds are probably trying to get off the coastline all together. With similar conditions, it could be another great day up at the hawkwatch.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260923

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 22, 2026

East winds were blowing in advance of the arriving nor’easter under heavy overcast skies today on the lower Eastern Shore. Migratory movement was moderate overall, though there were some standout highlights. Totals of 24 species and 177 individuals were counted at Sunset Beach.

While there was essentially no morning flight today at Sunset Beach, the Chesapeake Bay provided some quality action. The clear highlight was a southbound juvenile Sabine’s Gull that passed just off the beach at the end of the second hour giving incredible looks and photo ops in the brief moment it was in view! Sabine’s are a very rare offshore migrant that are not recorded annually in Virginia, and this individual was likely brought into the bay ahead of the building nor’easter.

Sabine's Gull

Other highlights in the bay included a southbound Parasitic Jaeger, six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and singles of Northern Harrier and American Kestrel. Landbird migrants were slower overall, though two Eastern Kingbirds and four late Purple Martins were nice to see. There was no appreciable morning flight, though two northbound American Redstarts and a southbound Palm Warbler put in appearances.  

 he Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a fairly slow flight but still logged a number of migrating raptors in the subpar conditions, including periods of light rain later in the afternoon, led by 27 Osprey. The continuing Mississippi Kite continued to hang out near the count site. A handful of flyover shorebirds were also seen in the drizzly weather including eight Pectoral Sandpipers, two Semipalmated Plovers, and a Solitary Sandpiper.

Strong northeast winds will build tomorrow with increased chances of rain in the first half of the day. We may see a weather cancellation depending on the intensity of the rain, though oftentimes conditions are drier than forecasted on the Eastern Shore and we hope to be out there counting in the morning!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260922

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 21, 2026

Winds were out of the northwest today at Sunset Beach, but the shift occurred early morning following southerlies all night so little morning flight took place. Totals of 38 species and 266 individuals were counted at Sunset. A shift to the northeast by afternoon brought a nice flight to the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch.

There was a fair bit of diversity and local bird activity at Sunset, though fairly low migratory activity overall. American Robins and Brown-headed Cowbirds were active around the count site today, and 61 and 45 of each were counted each. Warblers were slow, with six Northern Parulas being the most abundant species. Other passerines counted included three Eastern Kingbirds on the later side, 17 Bobolinks, a Scarlet Tanager, and an Indigo Bunting.

Indigo Bunting

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a nice steady flight following the northeast wind shift, with 101 American Kestrels, 69 Merlins, and 57 Osprey featuring most prominently. Thirteen Northern Harriers were a good count for the season so far. The hawkwatch also logged 517 Tree Swallows, the highest count for the season so far of this mid-fall migrant. Local activity around the platform included the continuing Mississippi Kite, Bay-breasted and Nashville Warblers, and a male and female Striped Saddlebags.

Merlin and Mississippi Kite

Weather is predicted to take a turn for the worse this week as a strong offshore low pressure system forms. This system could well turn into a full blown nor’easter bringing strong northeast winds and rain to the Atlantic coast. Impacts could arrive as soon as tomorrow, with afternoon showers and building easterly winds possible. This setup seems likely to temporarily stall out overnight migration for passerines, though some raptors should continue to move through during rainless periods. Shorebirds and other offshore migrants could be grounded throughout the week depending on how the storm shapes up.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260921

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 18, 2026

Northeast winds following the frontal passage brought a much needed change in the weather and kicked migration into high gear. Both our sites saw substantial flights today, and at Sunset Beach 42 species and 569 individuals were counted.

Northeast winds tend to keep the northbound morning flight line out to the east of the count site at Sunset where many birds are frustratingly backlit and today was no exception with 183 unidentified warbler sp. Northern Parulas were the most numerous species counted with 97, and American Redstarts came in second with 81, with Cape Mays following with 20. There were a few non-passerine highlights including seven Black-bellied Plovers and the season’s second Common Loon.

Common Loon

American Redstart

Middle management returned to the Kiptopeke Hawk Platform to return for a strong mid-September flight logging triple digits of raptors for three species: 175 American Kestrels, 163 Osprey, and133 Merlin. There was also a significant southbound flight of warblers at the platform, starkly contrasting the largely northbound flight at Sunset. Notable southbound movements also included 455 Bobolinks and 40 Purple Martins, the latter of which is getting late to still be moving in numbers. The juvenile Mississippi Kite continued to show well throughout. The Striped Saddlebags invasion was also ongoing as evidenced by two individuals noted.

Merlin

Light southeast winds overnight and tomorrow may keep some of today’s migrants around. The raptor flight may be somewhat more subdued compared to today, though it seems likely there will still be hawks and falcons on the move.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260919

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 18, 2026

Southwesterlies brought increased humidity and warmer temperatures to the Eastern Shore, with limited migration as a result. A wind shift in the afternoon with a weak cold front passage improved the raptor flight, holding promise for tomorrow. At Sunset Beach, totals of 21 species and 199 individuals were counted.

Northbound American Robins in the first and second hour accounted for the significant majority of birds today, totaling 141. Many of these birds may have been departing a local roost, but it is a significant uptick in numbers compared to what has been around. Very little morning flight took place today in the first two hours with a southbound Northern Waterthrush and a northbound Northern Yellow Warbler, though in the third hour there was  a surprising push of four Nashville Warblers and several other poorly seen Leiothlypis sp. Nashvilles are one of the more uncommon warbler on the Eastern Shore in fall, so to have them being the most numerous warbler species on a very slow day is anomalous.

Nashville Warbler

Common Checkered-Skipper

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch saw a trickle of migratory raptors throughout the day, though things really picked up in the later afternoon and evening after the northerly wind shift. Many darners and saddlebags including Black, Carolina, Red, and Striped Saddlebags in the evening were feasting on the ample gnats. The dragonflies in turn provided targets for afternoon Merlins and Kestrels as well as the lingering Mississippi Kite that showed nicely throughout the evening. Of the raptor totals, American Kestrels led with 54, followed by 48 Osprey and 22 Merlin.

Mississippi Kite

The front tonight will give way to northeast winds tomorrow, which should deliver a continuation of this evening’s raptor flight. Songbird numbers should be much improved with the frontal passage, and there should be some good morning flight potential.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260915

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 17, 2026

Clear high pressure skies continue to dominate the weather on the Eastern Shore, and these conditions coupled with southwest winds put a stop to essentially all migration today once again. At Sunset Beach, totals of 15 species and 106 individuals were counted. 

The clear skies were also clear of birds over Sunset Beach. Of the 106 individuals counted, 86 were southbound terns; 57 Sandwich and 29 Common. This brief southbound movement quickly ended when a brief flurry of feeding activity made it impossible to parse actively moving birds from foraging locals. Five Osprey were the next most numerous migrant counted, all low over the western bay shore. Warblers were limited to singles of Northern Waterthrush, American Redstart, Northern Yellow Warbler, Pine Warbler, and two Cape May Warblers. Though fairly regular this season, a distant adult Brown Booby was exciting as always to see feeding out over the Chesapeake Bay.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch was also slow with only six Osprey, four Sharp-shinned and one Cooper’s Hawks, and four Merlins counted. Precious few other migrants were counted on a day with only 11 species and 26 individuals. By this point in the season, days this slow feel exceptional, though they drive home the point that the correct conditions are everything during migration. 

With few photo ops during our counts today, a Striped Saddlebags from Virginia Beach this evening serves as a reminder that this southern dragonfly’s irruption into the region is ongoing. Continued southerly winds in the area into tomorrow morning will further stall nocturnal migration, though an afternoon switch to more northerly winds could kickstart some raptor movement. 

Striped Saddlebags

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

 

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/4022/20260917

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 16, 2026

Clear, high-pressure skies and very light east winds kept migration slow this morning at our migration sites on the Eastern Shore today. Totals of 24 species and 82 individuals were counted today.

With little wind, few birds were actively migrating today, and the small movement that occurred lacked much in the way of direction when it came to reorienting songbirds. Warblers were flying both directions, and the majority of the day’s nine Cape May Warblers were southbound, the most numerous warbler counted. Seven Northern Flickers were counted, hinting at the larger flights in the coming weeks we should see of that species.

A number of migrants were simply hanging around the count site today including two Brown Thrashers, a Merlin posted up on a snag to the south, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird repeatedly visiting a lingering trumpet vine bloom. A juvenile Mississippi Kite rose up high to the south at the end of the count, but soon drifted northeast, possibly the same individual seen yesterday and today at the hawkwatch.

Merlin

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Things were similarly slow at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch, though a few raptors were still trickling through with 20 Osprey and 10 American Kestrels making up the majority of the flight. An Eastern Phoebe was a first-of-season for either of our count sites, as this species is a fall and winter arrival on the lower Eastern Shore with no substantial local breeding population.

Light southerlies tonight and tomorrow will probably keep things very slow, though it’s possible a few migrants like Bobolinks may move into the light headwind. Winds switch more northerly by midday Friday, when more raptors should start to push in.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260916

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 15, 2026

Northeast winds allowed for most of the departing migrants after the cold front to depart the Eastern Shore last night, and far fewer nocturnal migrants arrived to take their place. Morning flight was slower at Sunset Beach, though the weather was distinctly autumnal and totals of 48 species and 335 individuals were still counted.

Though morning flight was on the slow side, there was still a bit of diversity including singles of Nashville, Tennessee, and Prairie Warblers, all of which dropped in throughout the morning as they worked their way north. Four Glossy Ibis found traveling companions today, including one with a White Ibis and five Brown Pelicans and three with a flock of Double-crested Cormorants. Nineteen of the morning’s 22 American Kestrels came in the early part of the first hour.

Cape May Warbler

Parasitic Jaeger

Bay watching had a strong start with an immature Brown Booby feeding relatively close in with Laughing Gulls, shortly followed by a northbound flock of nine Brown Boobies distantly on the horizon for a total of ten, doubling the state high count! Large flocks of gulls also drew in an aggressive Parasitic Jaeger that prowled the bay in front of the count site for most of the third hour.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch experienced a fairly steady raptor flight throughout the day headed by 83 American Kestrels, 32 Osprey, and 21 Broad-winged Hawks alongside smaller numbers of regulars. A juvenile Mississippi Kite appeared several times throughout the day, at one point doing aerial battle with a Cooper’s Hawk.

Mississippi Kite

Outside of our counts, a notable rarity was found yesterday by visitor Daniel Irons at the Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR, a Great White Heron! This subspecies of Great Blue Heron is found in the West Indies and Florida Keys and is a rare vagrant elsewhere. The bird continued tonight at the small pond by the refuge boat ramp.

Great White Heron

Winds out of the east northeast will likely not do much for overnight migration as more migrants continue to depart the shore, though it could well be another good hawkwatch day.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s daily migration update on CVWO social media and the CVWO blog: https://vawildliferesearch.org/cvwo-blog

And follow along with the count live every morning on Trektellen: https://trektellen.nl/count/view/3748/20260915