Sightings Update 10/4/2021

Highlights:
Ash-throated Flycatcher (pictured above), LeConte’s Sparrow, and Black-backed Woodpecker

This past week has been a little bit of déjà vu, but we’re not complaining. The season’s second Ash-throated Flycatcher was found on the evening of Oct. 2 and continued all day on the third. Previous to this fall, there were only two ash-throated records, one from 1995 and one from 2004. The season’s second LeConte’s Sparrow was also observed this week, and Black-backed Woodpecker made another appearance. At least one Red-headed Woodpecker made a brief appearance as well.

Warm conditions and a southerly wind flow seem to have delayed the transition to mid-season migrants a bit, but overall, activity has been good. Warbler diversity has dropped off from the peak of their migration, but recent sightings have included black-throated blue, magnolia, northern parula, blackpoll, and orange-crowned. The end of the warbler migration often produces large flights of Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, and we experienced nice movements of both of these species this week. The warm conditions and southerly winds seem to have stalled out many of the mid-season migrants, but we are still seeing increasing numbers of certain species, such as Downy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Horned Lark, and Lapland Longspur. We hope that more of the mid-season migrants will start to increase in numbers when the weather patterns improve.