Date: 3/31/25 11:41 am From: Don Morrow <donaldcmorrow...> Subject: [NFLbirds] April at SMNWR
*“The beginning of April never fails bringing millions of these welcome
visitors.”*
William Bartram *The Travels
of William Bartram *1791
Around half of St. Marks NWR’s Spring migrants pass through in April, when
about five million warblers, thrushes, tanagers, vireos, swallows, and
sandpipers cross the refuge, mostly at night. Migration proceeds in fits
and starts. Birds are moving every night, but most of April’s migrants will
fly on a half dozen nights during the month, on some of which, up to a half
million birds will cross the refuge. A small percentage of these birds will
drop in to rest, delighting local birders with views of almost fifty
species that occur here only in migration.
These migrant birds lead lives that span continents. Their brief presence
here ties us to places far distant from the refuge. In April, we may see
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks that wintered in Central America headed to the
slopes of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, Blackpoll Warblers from
the Amazonian jungles of Brazil headed to the boreal forests of Yukon
Territory, or Pectoral Sandpipers that spent the winter in Uruguay headed
to coastal tundra along the shores of the Beaufort Sea. Protected lands
like St. Marks are critically important migration stopover sites for these
birds.
By the time April begins, leaf out is complete and the hammock forest near
the Double Bridges is painted in shades of green. It’s a good place to look
for newly-returned Great-crested Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireos,
Yellow-throated Vireos, Northern Parulas and Prothonotary Warblers.
There are still a few leftover ducks. Blue-winged Teal continue to move
through and April sees a pulse of late Northern Shovelers, likely birds
that wintered in Cuba or Hispaniola. The Common Loons that wintered on the
Gulf finish moving early in the month. They’ll make several hops on their
way to the Northwoods.
Shorebirds are on the move, too. Our summer-breeding Willets have begun to
return. They are similar enough to the winter Willets that, except for a
seasonal increase in Willet numbers, their arrival can be hard to discern.
Our winter Willets will soon begin to leave for the Canadian Prairies where
they breed.
April is the time to begin watching for the uncommon migrant shorebirds;
American Golden Plover and Wilson’s Phalarope, along with Pectoral,
White-rumped, Solitary, and Stilt Sandpipers. All of these birds are making
long, continent-hopping journeys.
A lot happens at the refuge this month. Listen for the dull roar of bull
gators echoing across Headquarters Pond in late morning, as gator courtship
season begins. Watch there for newly hatched Common Gallinules, small black
fuzzballs following their parents.
April at St. Marks is the month with the highest avian diversity, when
over two hundred species may be recorded at the refuge; an eclectic mix of
leftover winter birds, newly-arrived summer breeders, year-round residents,
and transmigrants.
There are April days at St. Marks when the stars and the weather align and
the woods are suddenly full of colorful migrants. It’s like a love affair
when you’re young; sudden, exciting, and too soon over.
Come down to the refuge and experience Spring migration. It’s the next
best thing to true love.
