Crisp cool nights have the Neotropical birds that visit our northern latitudes to nest during the summer once again headed south for the winter.
Flying through the night and zipping through the forest edges at sunrise to feed are the many species of migrating vireos, warblers, and other songbirds.
A Tennessee Warbler peers from the cover of a Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina), a small native tree which is not, as many assume, a poisonous plant. Staghorn Sumac is in fact an excellent wildlife species with brilliant autumn colors.Though its breeding season has come to an end, this southbound Yellow-throated Vireo was found singing its heart out in the limbs of a Staghorn Sumac early this morning.Not to be outdone, this Northern Parula joined in with a cheery tune from yet another Staghorn Sumac.Black-throated Green Warblers are particularly numerous right now. To see them, visit a ridgetop forest clearing at sunrise.
As the nocturnal migrants fade into the foliage to rest for the day, the movement of diurnal migrants picks up the pace.
Southbound flights of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are reaching their peak this week with chilly temperatures hustling them along. Remember to keep your feeders clean and your nectar fresh through at least early October; they may really need the supplemental energy.Migrating Broad-winged Hawks, sometimes traveling in large flocks known as kettles, seek out thermal updrafts to gain altitude before gliding away on a southwest heading bound for Houston, Texas. Once there, they’ll make a turn to the south and follow the gulf coastline toward the tropics for winter.While passing through the lower Susquehanna valley in fall, Broad-winged Hawks can be seen ascending to greater heights above almost any sun-drenched surface including large parking lots or barren fields. But to get your best look, visit a ridgetop hawk watch where these birds circle on the rising air created by solar heating of the south-facing slopes.While on the crest, you might notice that the Neotropicals aren’t the only bird species heading through. Migrants like this Sharp-shinned Hawk are beginning to show up in increasing numbers with a peak expected in about two to three weeks.
To find a hawk-counting station near you, check out our “Hawkwatcher’s Helper: Identifying Bald Eagles and other Diurnal Raptors” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page. And plan to spend some time on the lookout during your visit, you never know what you might see…
This very early Golden Eagle surprised observers at Second Mountain Hawk Watch in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, this morning. It appears to be an immature, more specifically a second-year bird beginning molt (replacing its innermost primaries), so it may not have traveled all the way to the eastern population’s breeding areas in northern Canada for the summer. Instead, it may have wandered the vast wilderness hundreds of miles further south. Expect to see these regal eagles more regularly when adults and hatch-year juveniles from the nesting region start passing through our area, primarily during the period between Halloween and Thanksgiving. In the meantime, you’ll have time to check out our “Aging Golden Eagles” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page.
