In my graduate work on SGI, I had two RHWO at Rattlesnake Hammock in the migration. In my 30 years here on Galveston Island, I’ve had 3 and likely 4.
I believe they migrate diagonally from places down coast (like, say, Tampa, Corpus Christi) and hit the northern Gulf Coast, shortcutting the typical circum-Gulf path.
If birds evolve from trans-Gulf to circum-Gulf, this would be a logical step in the process.
Jim in Galveston
From: 'Dana Bryan' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...>
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2026 9:31 PM
To: Lucy and Bob Duncan <robertaduncan...>
Cc: Albirds <albirds...>; Nflbirds <nflbirds...>
Subject: Re: [NFLbirds] Red-headed Woodpecker migration
I had the first Red-headed Woodpecker in my Tallahassee yard in 36 years on April 15.
Sent from Dana Bryan’s iPhone
On Apr 20, 2026, at 10:27 PM, 'Lucy and Bob Duncan' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...> wrote:
Hi all,
Today, Lucy and I had six Red-headed Woodpeckers in our migrant trap yard at one time! These were our first of the year and are usually absent the rest of the year. Lucy and I have seen them coming in off the Gulf with trans-Gulf migrants during fallout conditions on several occasions. Other birders have witnessed this as well. But there are no records for Cuba or the rest of the Indies, nor Mexico. So where are they coming from?
Several years ago a birder from the peninsular Florida suggested they were probably coming from there since they do winter down state. That seems the only logical explanation for this odd phenomenon. My thanks to this birder whose name I forgot for probably solving this mystery some of us up here have been pondering for years.
