There was a good liftoff of nocturnal migrants last night with light northeasterly winds. The lack of stronger winds made for an interesting morning flight consisting of many high birds moving all over the sky in both directions, and many backlit warblers out to the east. Despite the challenging flight, there was good diversity and solid numbers, with 67 species and 2809 individuals counted at Sunset Beach.
Today marked the arrival of high Yellow-rumped Warbler numbers on the Eastern Shore, a true harbinger of late fall and winter. Most of the Yellow-rumps were high southbound birds with the calm winds totaling 422, though there were still 160 in typical northbound morning flight. Other warbler numbers were fairly diminished by comparison, though 41 Cape May, 32 Northern Parula, and 26 Blackpoll Warblers were respectable totals amid a frustrating 213 warbler sp., largely high backlit birds in the east.
Non-warblers provided the bulk of today's diversity. A light flight of five northbound Red-breasted Nuthatches was nice to see in an off year for the species. Likewise, a second early Pine Siskin passed overhead this morning, perhaps hinting at larger numbers yet to come. Two northbound Dickcissels were well-heard at different points in the morning. The season’s first American Pipit was also heard well as it moved over. Strong Blue Jay numbers continue, today totaling 367. Southbound blackbird flocks were also a fixture of the morning, consisting of 230 Red-winged, 197 Brown-headed Cowbird, and 38 Common Grackle. Waterbirds were represented by four northbound Wood Ducks and a southbound Common Loon.
Things were slow to start today at the Kiptopeke Hawkwatch, though by the late afternoon and evening an excellent flight of Peregrine Falcons was underway. Incredibly, Peregrines were the most numerous raptor counted today reaching 144, one of the best counts for the species at the hawkwatch in recent years! Remarkably, the continuing Mississippi Kite was also seen, quickly approaching the latest report for this species in Virginia.
Light
easterly winds will likely make for a slower morning flight, though we are
getting to the time of year when lighter winds can make for great southbound
landbird flights. Tomorrow may be another interesting 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/3748/20261008
