Date: 7/23/25 7:53 pm From: Katherine Clemo via groups.io <kclemo54...> Subject: Re: [ALbirds] When does Fall MIgration really start?
Whatever works
On Wed, Jul 23, 2025, 11:53 AM Lucy & Bob Email via groups.io <RobertADuncan...> wrote:
> Scott Gravette's ALBirds post of early Cerulean Warblers and tips on > August birding for migrants at Monte Sano reminded me of our early coastal > migrants. > > Those of us on the Gulf coast start seeing clouds of Purple Martins > gathering by mid to late July. Flocks of up to 20,000 have been reported > 'staging' under the I-10 bridge over Escambia Bay in prior years (*ie* > 2010). Shorebird migration is certainly underway by late June to mid-July. > > I was reminded earlier this month, specifically on July 5 when we had a > Louisiana Waterthrush at our small pond in the yard, that our friend and > fellow Florida birder, the late Noel Wamer, used to say that Fall migration > starts on the northern Gulf Coast on the 4th of July with the appearance of > LAWAs. Talk about early birds! > > By mid- to the end of July we usually are seeing Yellow Warblers move > through along with random Prairies and LAWAs (rare thru July). But not this > year so far. As Bob and I browse eBird reports from the northern Gulf of > Mexico coastal areas, there are few reports of YEWAs so far. That makes us > wonder why. Could it be that the heavy rainfalls northeast of here along > the Appalachians have dampened the migration, or did the heavy rainfalls > wipe out nesting or delay it? Or, have populations dropped severely? Most > years we are seeing them here by this time, with a larger number by early > August. In fact, 96 YEWAs were recorded here flying west off of our > westward pointing peninsula (Gulf Breeze) in an 80-minute count on August > 22 one year! > > So dust off your bins, hope for cooler weather, and get ready! They're > coming! As Bob likes to say, "you don't go, you don't see!" (However for > now, I'll watch the pond and favored thickets from my air-conditioned perch > in the house or under the porch fan!) > > Lucy Duncan > > > > ----- Forwarded Message ----- > *From:* Scott Gravette <inadu4...> > *To:* "<albirds...>" <albirds...> > *Sent:* Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at 09:32:23 PM CDT > *Subject:* [ALbirds] Cerulean Warblers at Monte Sano SP in July > > Over the years Bob Goss has found good numbers of apparently South-bound > migrant Cerulean Warblers at the overlook at Monte Sano State Park at > Huntsville in mid to late July. He's reported as many as 10 in a morning. > Last year I met him there one July morning and we had 4 or 5 Ceruleans > along with good numbers of Black-throated Green Warblers. Bob and I have > discussed where the Ceruleans might be coming from. There are small numbers > of breeding Ceruleans nearby to MSSP at Chapman Mt. and up in the Paint > Rock Valley, but, given the numbers that can be found at MSSP in July, we > think it is likely that most of these birds are funneling down the > Cumberland Plateau from breeding areas in Tennesse and Kentucky. > You tend to think that warbler migration doesn't begin in earnest until > mid to late August, but there's a lot of southward movement of several > species starting as early as July. With the heat and humidity, it's just > not a very comfortable time to be in the woods in July, and on some days > you don't see diddly in the way of migrants. > If you go to Monte Sano in July, the area around the overlook is best for > migrating warblers. Get there around dawn and listen/look for the > titmice/chickadee flocks as the warblers will be mixed in. A majority of > the Ceruleans will be the female/immature plumage. > > > Scott Gravette > Hartselle, AL > > > > > <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> > Virus-free.www.avg.com > <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> > <#m_4830116824628231803_DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> > > -- > Lucy and Bob Duncan > Gulf Breeze, Florida > >
