Date: 4/27/24 12:15 pm From: Rebecca Coulter via groups.io <rfcphoebe...> Subject: [sbcobirding] Migration activity at Refugio this morning
Birders,
It’s addictive, this migration birding thing. Especially when it’s in our own backyard! I’m so grateful to all the birders who’ve spent the hours figuring out weather patterns and hotspots that produce a thrilling morning’s birding. I spent a couple of hours this morning at the usual spot—near the rusty tractor parked along the road near the houses. Like a couple of years ago when I witnessed this, I found myself just laughing as multiples of Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Hermit Warbler, and others zoomed up the slope, landing just long enough to get a hit of blue or yellow through binoculars—long enough to identify most but some were just too fast. Many species were also singing. As Steve Colwell pointed out, it’s hard not to be constantly distracted, with all the activity around you! After a couple of hours I moved down the road a bit to stop at the usual turnouts, and found a much smaller volume of the same species.
eBird List here. <https://ebird.org/checklist/S170574321> My numbers are definitely estimates. I am interested to see how Steve's and Brad’s numbers compare to mine. I confess I just couldn’t tear myself away from the spectacle in front of me to try and accurately log the numbers on my phone. For me, this is an activity to take me OUT of the cell phone universe. But it’s great to be able to compile the outing in eBird.
