 With May well under way, it’s definitely time for more migrant birds to visit the backyard. Watch as a Grosebeak sings and feeds, as the nectar feeders receive action and also as other transient birds traveling through use the habitat in the yard to rest and refuel.
I hope you enjoy watching!
Click the link below to see other Backyard Birding Videos:
Bird Migration Fallout Friday - 5/15/20
The dam finally broke overnight on Thursday into Friday and we had a HUGE influx of migrant birds on Friday (5/15). That night we also had rain move in which caused the birds nocturnally migrating over us to "fallout", making conditions for birding extra good on Friday morning!
The image below from early Friday morning illustrates this phenomenon. Radars pick up birds in flight when they are in large numbers and close to radar sites (orange areas - arrows indicate direction of flight). The rain (green and yellow blobs) moved in from the NW (pink arrows). Where the two meet, the birds "fallout" and seek shelter from the rain. Note the thin blue fallout line in the red circled area, which indicates BIRDS not rain. This image of northern Indiana is from around 6:30 am. The birds in our area experienced fallout earlier (when I wasn't awake!).
I hope you got out to witness it! If you want to know what birds have arrived, check out the Birding BOLO below.
 Bird Fallout - 6:30 a.m. on 5/15/20
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To learn more about migration forecasting and to watch migration in "real-time" go to BirdCast.info
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Bird Share!
We've got a lot of birds to catch up on! Thanks for your patience as I've had to delay getting these sightings out.
Please send in your sightings, photos and videos and I'll keep them updated as I can. See below for information on how to submit your sightings!
Here's what's been reported since last time...
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Baltimore Oriole & Unknown Bird
On May 7, 2020, I was happy to see a Baltimore Oriole on my suet feeder.
Just after the Baltimore Oriole came by, a different bird arrived, clinging to the feeder post and then down to the grass. I just wondered if you had any idea what it could be? It is a slate grey bird, with striping, agile fanned-type tail, body bigger than a sparrow.
C. Wallentine
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Thanks for sharing your unknown bird! The bird is a FEMALE Red-winged Blackbird! Thanks to your photo and description, I was able to help identify it for you. These are often misidentified because they don't much at all like the male, which is so familiar. Here's a link to learn more about Red-winged Blackbirds and see more photos of both male and female:
American Robin
My mother-law called me and said that she was seeing this strange looking Robin in her area. Sure enough we found the Robin again and noted that it was a partial albino Robin.
Lonny Garris
Holland
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Blue-headed Vireo
I was watching a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets when I head a familiar call, a Blue-headed Vireo. I followed the sound until I finally spotted him. He stayed high up in the trees, bouncing around until all of a sudden he flew feet from me to catch a massive bug! So amazing to see the bird so close and to watch it hunt :-)
Emily Tornga
Ottawa Sands Park, Ferrysburg
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Palm Warbler (left)
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Yellow-rumped Warbler (right)
Black-and-white Warbler (below)
I visit Grand Ravines North Park almost daily during the warbler migration.
Mike Bergeon
Grand Ravines North (River’s edge)
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 Black-and-white Warbler
Wood Duck Family
Christopher, Karis, Katherine, Lily, and Linnea loved spotting this family
Kimberly Locke
Spring Lake
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Palm Warbler (left)
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Nashville Warbler (right)
Common Yellowthroat (below)
These and other migrating birds showed up around our pond a few days ago.
Michael Monfore
Park Township
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HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR BIRD SHARE SIGHTINGS
Click on the "Google Forms" link below to fill out where, when and what birds you saw. As an additional option at the end of the form, you'll have opportunity to upload any bird photos or videos you'd like to share! Please limit photos/videos to 3 per person and they must be <10MB each. Thank you!
*NOTE: You must be signed into a Google account to upload files. We will try to develop a way for others to share photos/videos too.
*Any information or photos shared will be used in future Birding Update emails and/or the production of a video.
Birding BOLO!
Here are a few birds to Be On the LookOut for (in addition to ones previously mentioned):
- Warblers galore! I saw over 20 species on Friday! Nashville, American Redstart, Black-and-white, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Cape May, Tennessee, Ovenbird, N. Parula, etc.
- Thrushes: Gray Cheeked, Swainson's, Wood
- Flycatchers: Great Crested, Eastern Kingbird, Least, Eastern Wood Pewee
- Vireos: Red-eyed, Blue-headed
- Chimney Swift
- Gray Catbird
- Ruby-crowned Kinglets
- Lincoln's Sparrow
- Scarlet Tanager
And the list could go on....
Also remaining are some Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and White-throated sparrows, but they should be soon disappearing.
Now get out there and enjoy the birds for yourself!
If you're already getting this email sent to you, you're already signed up. But maybe you know someone who would be interested but who isn't signed up. Maybe you've already been forwarding these emails on to friends or family members. Now all you need to do is copy the link below and send it to them so they can sign up directly themselves!
Thanks for sharing!
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Bringing Nature To You
Due to the cancellation of our programs, the Nature Center has had to get creative in how to engage those who love our parks and programs. The Birding Update email and videos is only one of the ways we've done this. Click the link below to see what other online programs are available!
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Ottawa County Parks on Facebook!
You can connect with us on Facebook and find more information, updates and videos!
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