Here in the Northeast of North America, the first few weeks of May means migration, a brief time when birders’ hearts beat as fast as the tinosaurs we seek. We await spectacular fallouts of passerines headed for their breeding ranges; some few stop here to settle down and seek a mate, finding the habitat suitable enough. Warblers come and go in crisp breeding colors, less “Sunday best,” more “Saturday night fever.”
It’s a time to play hooky, grab your bins, and spend hours staring at the tops of the trees. A wide variety of bird families–not just Parulidae–are representing now. Birds like this Rose-breasted Grosbeak:
Between the broad-ranging, long-term effects of climate change, and the near term ravages of PD, you never can tell how many more spring migrations you will get, so make each one count. And speaking of counting, get out there with some (masked and vaccinated) buddies and submit your lists this Saturday (May 8)!