The Fall Bird Migration Is Already Underway
It may still be summer for a little while longer, but migratory birds have already started their annual fall trip.
Birders in the New York City area who have been waiting to spot birds like Yellow Warblers and Great Crested Flycatchers will have a good chance of catching them this weekend.
"We're getting cold, clear air coming down and the birds are moving on that kind of like surfers on a wave," Robert DeCandido, a Bronx-born ornithologist and tour guide better known as "Birding Bob" told WNYC.
The weather isn't the only factor bringing migratory birds into our area. Considering that some species passing through will be flying down to South America, they need to fatten up on fruits, berries and other plants—something that New York City's parks are rife with at this time of year.
However, the parks and forests aren't the only spots for birders to see these feathered tourists: beaches and coastlines in the New York/New Jersey region are also great places to spot all sorts of birds, particularly seabirds and those that travel at night.
"They may find themselves out over the ocean and turn around and have come back to the first landfall," said Rich Guthrie, a resident bird expert at member station WAMC. "That's where Jones Beach and Fire Island and Riis Park and Coney Island, Staten Island all become very important stopover places."
That's where eagle-eyed birders might spot visitors like American Golden-Plovers and Buff-breasted Sandpipers scavenging for food in the muddy shore. Andrew Farnsworth, an ornithologist and "birdcaster" with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, says he's even hoping for rarer species like the Curlew Sandpiper, which is usually found in Siberia but occasionally makes its way to the Northeast U.S.
"It's got this wonderfully D-curved bill and some of the individuals at this time of year will still have this amazing rufus-ruddy plumage that they have during their breeding period," Farnsworth said.
But truly dedicated birders willing to charter an overnight boat could be treated to the sight of seagoing birds like storm petrels and jaegers coasting south.
"These are birds that live out in the ocean their entire life, except to come ashore now and then to build a nest and lay eggs," Guthrie said. "Other than that, they're like albatrosses, they're out at sea all the time."
Luckily, this weekend isn't the only chance to spot passing birds. The migratory season generally lasts through mid-October, so there's plenty of time left for this round. Just remember to set your alarm for the early morning and don't forget your binoculars.
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