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

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 14, 2026

The much-anticipated overnight cold front finally brought significant overnight migration and a busy morning flight to Sunset Beach. North winds throughout the day also made for good hawkwatching at the Kiptopeke Hawk Platform. At Sunset Beach, totals of 58 species and 1352 individuals were counted.

Warblers dominated the morning flight at Sunset Beach, and American Redstarts occupied a commanding majority of the flight totaling 795. Northern Parulas had by far their best day of the season so far with 115, and Cape May Warblers also had a good showing of 36. There was a fair bit of diversity in the flight including the season’s first four Palm Warblers as well as ten Black-throated Green Warblers. The highlight of the morning was a Clay-colored Sparrow that dropped into the southern shrub line, giving nice views as it teed up calling on several perches as it worked its way north along the shrubs. A calling Savannah Sparrow was also a first-of-season, and two Dickcissels were also heard as they moved over high.

Clay-colored Sparrow

Black-throated Green Warbler

Cape May Warbler

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a nice flight as well, also reporting high numbers of northbound American Redstarts early on with 293. Raptors had their best day in a while, including 115 Osprey, 53 American Kestrel, 17 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 14 Merlins, 11 Cooper’s Hawks, six Northern Harriers, two Broad-winged Hawks and a Bald Eagle. A fair number of Purple Martins continue to pass through, and 108 were counted today along with 32 Tree Swallows, our later season swallow migrant here on the Eastern Shore. Falcon and Sharp-shinned Hawk numbers will build rapidly in the coming weeks to an action-packed crescendo in late September and early October.

Northeast winds tonight allowed for a massive liftoff of migrants across the Delmarva peninsula and elsewhere throughout the mid-Atlantic. These migrants will largely take advantage of the northeast tailwind to correct for last night’s wind drift and move back inland, though some nocturnal migrants will still find themselves arriving on the Eastern Shore tomorrow and there should be some morning flight. It will likely be a great day at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch on northeast winds all 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/3748/20260914

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 13, 2026

Continuing the theme of previous days, migration was once again largely stalled by unfavorable winds and precipitation, this time from steady southwest winds and light drizzles throughout the morning. Totals of 18 species and 87 individuals were counted at Sunset Beach.

Very little was happening this morning at Sunset Beach, with gloomy overcast and intermittent drizzle suppressing even local bird activity throughout the morning. A handful of aerial insectivores moved throughout the morning, mostly in clearer patches including 15 Chimney Swifts and 23 Purple Martins. Morning flight remained incredibly slow and consisted of two Baltimore Orioles, five American Redstarts, and one Northern Yellow Warbler. A redstart had a close brush with death when a Merlin blasting through nearly snatched it mid-flight, but the redstart escaped unscathed into the southern tree line. In lieu of migrants, it was nice to see a flock of Forster’s and Common Terns fishing off the beach, mostly in basic nonbreeding plumage. The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch was similarly slow, with 18 Osprey and two Merlin counted for the day. Bobolinks were the most numerous species detected from the platform with 92 counted.

Forster's Tern

Common Tern

Changes in the weather are finally on the way with a cold front tomorrow morning that will bring northerly winds and lower temperatures and humidity. The timing of the front and precipitation to the north could diminish the magnitude of tonight’s nocturnal migration, as will local wind direction overnight. Light west-southwest winds are expected to give way to stronger northwest winds by sunrise, through stronger northwest winds throughout the night at higher altitudes in the atmosphere where most birds migrate could improve the chances for a larger flight. In any case, the change in weather will be quite welcome, and tomorrow afternoon and Tuesday should be very good days for hawkwatching too.

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/3748/20260913

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 12, 2026

 Low overcast skies and easterly winds kept activity fairly low overall this morning at Sunset Beach. Totals of 31 species and 1122 individuals were counted.

Easterly winds allowed migrants to move inland overnight, and morning flight activity this morning was very low, and most warblers were way out to the east moving into the wind. Flocks of Bobolinks were streaming over primarily southbound all morning with a total of 957 for the morning, the best flight of the species so far this season.

Notably, nine American Kestrels were moving north this morning, likely dissuaded from crossing the Chesapeake Bay on a strong crosswind with the low heavy clouds. A Black Tern moved south over the bay early on, likely one of the last few that will be counted this season. Unusual for this site, a flock of 29 peeps containing at least 26 Western Sandpipers moved south over the beach in the third hour, possibly local birds commuting to a roost or migrants in the area after showers the night before.

Western Sandpipers

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch was on the slower side as well, though there were still a handful of hawks counted with 26 Osprey still dominating the raptor numbers. Purple Martins continued their resurgence from yesterday with 390 counted. Their numbers will soon trail off for good as they continue on their way to  South America. The Hawkwatch also saw a good flight of 1016 Bobolinks. A southbound Palm Warbler was a first of season for either of our counts, a sure sign of mid-September on the Eastern Shore.

Purple Martin

Southeasterly winds build tomorrow along with rain overnight, continuing locally through the morning. The overnight precipitation and unfavorable winds will limit overnight migration, though could also lead to interesting shorebird flyovers 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/3748/20260907

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 10, 2026

West-southwest winds were roaring off the Chesapeake Bay this morning, essentially shutting down all landbird activity at Sunset Beach. A handful of birds were moving out over the water, but overall migration was minimal. Totals of 13 species and 95 individuals were counted.

The stronger winds this morning suppressed landbird activity overall, and very little was happening over the peninsula even in terms of local songbirds, much less migrants. The wind off the bay created some activity, highlighted by several small flocks of Blue-winged Teal totaling 34 southbound individuals. A steady trickle of southbound gulls and terns were moving south into the wind, likely exiting the bay after coming in after last night’s strong south winds. Twenty-four Common Terns, 12 Royals and nine Sandwich were counted alongside four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, this season’s firsts. A Peregrine Falcon made a pass at an unidentified passerine and a Merlin buzzed overhead as well, but neither were counted as migrants.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Merlin

Peregrine Falcon

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch remained very slow with only 30 individual migrants were counted, and raptors were limited to seven Osprey and singles of Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, and American Kestrel. A northbound Common Nighthawk in the morning and a surprise southbound Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the mid-afternoon were bright spots on an otherwise slow, hot day. Many visitors kept spirits high and preserved our counters’ sanity as we stared into the empty blue!

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Changes are finally in the air tomorrow as a weak cold front approaches from the north. While overnight migration may be unremarkable as the front stalls out to our north in the morning, it’s possible some birds may get ahead of it and arrive on the peninsula with light northwesterlies. Slow-moving fronts also have the potential to make for interesting bay watching as overland seabird migrants drop in ahead of the weather system.

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/3748/20260907

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 9, 2026

West-southwest winds shut down overnight migration, and few forward migrants were moving against the crosswinds today. It was a very slow morning overall at Sunset Beach, with 20 species and 52 individuals counted.

Very few birds were moving at Sunset Beach overall. Sandwich Terns were the most numerous migrant of the morning totaling 17 southbound individuals out over the bay. Two American Redstarts and one Northern Yellow Warbler were the only warblers and five Osprey, one American Kestrel, and a Merlin were the only raptors. Diligent scans of the Chesapeake Bay yielded little other than gulls and pelicans surrounding the menhaden trawlers. The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch was fairly slow overall, though a few raptors were on the move including 43 Osprey. A brief evening watch at Ramp Road at Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR did not yield any migrants moving into stronger south winds at dusk, though 25 Boat-tailed Grackles were nice to see commuting to roost, typically an uncommon sight on the lower Eastern Shore this time of year away from the barrier island marshes where they go to molt.

Without much in the way of migration to update on, this slow day presents a good opportunity to compare a full month of August Sunset Beach data between 2025 and 2026. This year, many more total individual migrants have been counted, with 29,812 individuals counted in August 2026 compared to 17,345 in August 2025. Southbound migrants have pushed 2026 ahead, while reverse northbound migrants have trailed by 2,431 individuals compared to 2025. The top five migrants this August were Purple Martin (8878), Eastern Kingbird (7308), Barn Swallow (3454), Red-winged Blackbird (2100), and Bobolink (1229), all of which primarily behave as forward migrants at Sunset Beach.

Boat-tailed Grackles

Strong south-southwest winds overnight will certainly stall out most overnight migration. The windier conditions could make for good bay watching, but it is very unlikely that much in the way of visible active migration will be occurring tomorrow.

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/3748/20260909

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 8, 2026

Winds were very calm this morning, though there was a very gentle northeast breeze later in the morning. Few birds were motivated to move with the lack of wind this morning, though as always there were a few unexpected highlights. Totals of 26 species and 253 individuals were counted at Sunset Beach.

As with the past couple of days, only a small handful of migrants were engaging in morning flight today. The highlight was an Eastern Warbling Vireo working its way north through the “shrub highway” along the bay viewpoint, a scarce fall migrant on the Eastern Shore. A late Orchard Oriole was also notable, typically one of the earliest fall migrants to depart the Eastern Shore and seldom seen after August.

Forward migrants were significantly dominated by Bobolink, of which three flocks totaled 178. A lone Purple Martin was the only swallow counted today and only 14 Eastern Kingbirds further emphasized the transition towards the end of early fall migration. After some distant glimpses of two distant individuals, an adult Brown Booby put on a great show as it flew back and forth in front of the count site for the closest views of the season so far, even hitting a few steep dives as it foraged. A plausibly identifiable digi-scoped video was obtained in the absence of the counter’s camera memory card.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch was very slow once more today, with a very brief afternoon Osprey movement bringing the day’s total to 18 being the only real action for the day. Raptor season will be ramping up very soon, and these slow, calm days will be just a distant memory.

Osprey

Southwest winds build tomorrow which will likely bring migration to a standstill once more. Warmer weather returns Thursday ahead of the next front, which will move through sometime closer to the weekend with a chance of precipitation.

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/3748/20260907

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 7, 2026

Northeast winds, clear skies, and lower humidity made for a day that felt like fall, even if morning flight was on the slow side. The Sunset Beach Morning Flight Count logged 26 species and 117 individuals.

Morning flight is back down to a trickle two mornings after Saturday’s cold front. Warblers were very slow, with eight American Redstarts being the most numerous species. A Yellow-throated Warbler and four Summer Tanagers gave good views as they worked the trees around the count site but were not counted as active migrants. Few forward migrants were counted overall, though 12 Great Blue Herons was the best count of the season so far, and a flyby Western Cattle-Egret was a first-of-season for this uncommon migrant. Sightings over the Chesapeake Bay included three northbound Black Terns early on, and three very distant Brown Boobies feeding on the horizon were exciting to see on this slower morning.

Yellow-throated Warbler

Western Cattle-Egret

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had a moderate flight as the winds northeast winds shifted more to easterly throughout the afternoon. American Kestrels were the most numerous species with 36, while Osprey were much slower than the previous days with only 16. Purple Martins had a bit of an uptick with 135, hinting that there may still be some in the pipeline to our north.

American Kestrel

Tomorrow’s weather should be similar to today, though with lighter winds earlier on in the morning gradually shifting to southeast winds in the afternoon. Southwest winds return on Wednesday, building into Thursday. The return of light southerly winds in the afternoon could possibly lead to a later season swallow and martin 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/3748/20260907

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 6, 2026

Light north-northeast winds allowed for a massive liftoff of migrants last night as many of yesterday’s arrivals departed. The easterly component of the winds allowed for most migrants to stay inland off the coast. There was a light flight of reorienting migrants at Sunset Beach, and another good raptor flight at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch. Totals of 48 species and 562 individuals were counted.

Warblers were a bit more scattered today with a higher percentage southbound than yesterday, and while the flight peaked early, there were a handful of birds moving later in the morning as well. American Redstarts took the lead with 41, though Northern Waterthrushes accounted for a significant proportion as well with 20. Numbers of other passerine migrants were also modest, including 72 Eastern Kingbirds and 49 Bobolinks.

American Redstart

Red-headed Woodpecker

Eastern Red Bat

For a slower day, there was a fair bit of other diversity in morning flight. Three northbound Common Nighthawks were the first of season for the count. White Ibis had a good morning with several large southbound flocks totaling 214, one including a single Glossy Ibis. Two juvenile Red-headed Woodpeckers made a nice low northbound pass, and an Eastern Red Bat gave good views as it flew in off the bay. Two of the most notable sightings were not in morning flight: the season’s first Seaside Sparrow lurking in the grasses on the edge of the parking lot, and a Wood Thrush giving pit volley calls from the southern tree line, a surprisingly scarce migrant in the area with only one previous eBird record at Sunset Beach.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch had another good morning of raptors, though many birds were very high up. Highlights included strong numbers of Osprey totaling 149, followed by 58 American Kestrels, a and a good showing of 16 Northern Harriers.

Tomorrow will likely be fairly similar to today on light northeast winds and clear skies. More southerly winds return mid-week, shifting to southwest on Thursday ahead of the next front.

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/3748/20260906

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 5, 2026

Northwest winds overnight broke the dam of migration-stifling southerlies, and a massive push of migrants arrived on the Eastern Shore. Sunset Beach saw a significant reorientation morning flight following the large overnight movement, and 66 species and 2077 individuals were counted.

The most intense action of the day started early when a flood of northbound American Redstarts and Eastern Kingbirds shot over the parking lot as the sun rose. These two species were the most abundant reorienting migrants, with 871 kingbirds and 464 redstarts counted. The northwesterly winds kept the flight line more or less directly overhead, allowing for great views of warblers of 19 species throughout the morning including first-of-seasons Nashville and Black-throated Green Warbler. Northern Waterthrushes and Northern Yellow Warblers had especially good days with 62 and 66 counted respectively.

Northern Waterthrush

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Veery

Northern Parula

Songbird diversity was far from limited to warblers, and three of the day’s most uncommon migrants came from other families; singles of Olive-sided Flycatcher and Yellow-throated Vireo were seen well in the mix. Twenty-nine Red-eyed Vireos, nine Eastern Wood-Pewees, five Veeries, one Swainson’s Thrush, one Dickcissel, and the season’s first Scarlet Tanager provided additional passerine diversity.

The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch also had a great day following the wind switch. Osprey were the bird of the day with 164 counted, many of which were actually in kettles and small groups dotting the sky, and some were even migrating before sunrise! Other raptor highlights included two Mississippi Kites, a Red-shouldered Hawk, 12 American Kestrels, and the Hawkwatch’s first four Merlins of the season. Migrant passerines also had some nice standouts at the Hawkwatch including a Cliff Swallow and yet another Olive-sided Flycatcher!

In a fairly typical cold front pattern, winds shifted throughout the day from northwest to a light northeast, allowing for a massive liftoff of migrants this evening as birds take advantage of the tailwind to move back inland. While northeasterlies typically limit morning flight numbers, there will still be plenty of birds to count tomorrow, especially at the Hawkwatch where northeast winds are the most favorable.

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/3748/20260905

Eastern Shore Migration Update: September 4, 2026

The ongoing heatwave on the Eastern Shore saved the worst for last, and today’s temperatures reached 90 degrees with some of the highest humidity anywhere on the globe. The beating sun and southwest winds brought migration over the peninsula to a total standstill throughout the day, though there were still some notable movements over the Chesapeake Bay and a brief evening flurry of raptors at the Hawkwatch. At Sunset Beach, totals of 20 species and 784 individuals were counted.

Surprisingly, terns comprised the bulk of the flight today at Sunset Beach. With virtually nothing happening in the sky above the peninsula, a steady southbound flight of terns was a welcome diversion. Sandwich Terns were the most abundant species with 377 counted, followed by 139 Common as well as 17 Royal and 7 Black Terns. Loose groups were spread out across the bay throughout the morning and many individuals were in fairly close off the beach.

Migration otherwise was incredibly slow, though as in previous days a fair number of Eastern Kingbirds were still trickling through with 112 counted southbound and 88 northbound. Other songbird migrants were limited to six Barn Swallows, five Cedar Waxwings, and singles of Baltimore Oriole, American Redstart, and Summer Tanager.

 The Kiptopeke Hawkwatch fared no better, with several hours of complete inactivity during the day. A very light northeast wind started up in the evening, and a nice little flight of raptors immediately materialized with 24 Osprey, two American Kestrels, and one each of Bald Eagle and Northern Harrier counted.

Osprey

A cold front is forecasted to arrive in the area tomorrow morning, and conditions are favorable to our north for a significant liftoff of migrants. There are chances for heavy rainfall overnight as storms exit the area throughout the mid-Atlantic which could limit numbers overall, but there is strong potential for a significant morning flight tomorrow. Winds from the north shifting to northeasterlies in the afternoon should make for an active day at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch as well.

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/3748/20260904