The northbound migration iof shorebirds in May gets overshadowed by warblers. Right now things are in reverse: the exciting southbound shorebird push, augmented by an amazingly cooperative Curlew Sandpiper, is getting all the juice. But landbird migration has begun as well, as underlined by Paul Desdjardins amazingly eraary Blackpoll Warbler a few days ago. This morning, after a bit of dithering, I headed to Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven. This is one of the state's premier places to observe diurnal migration in fall, but prime time is Sept to early Nov. But with good weather (that is moderate northwest winds) I knew something would be happening this morning. I didn't get there until 8:15, but I immediately found myself in the midst of a little-known but consistent and reliable late summer movement - the early push of Red-winged Blackbirds. Because I'm easily amused, I've been coming to Lighthouse on promising days in late July through August for years, and I had no doubt today would produce a 4-digit count of passage Red-wingeds. Signed, sealed, delivered. From 8:15 to 9:15 I logged 2400. It then slowed down, with only 200 more before it essentially ended at 9:30. I'm not aware of this movement being readily apparent anywhere else in the state, which underscores Lighthouse's value as a convergence point for diurnal migrants, most famously raptors. By the time the hawks start in Septemeber, this phase of the Red-winged migration is over. The really big movement of Icterids won't resume until after mid-October into the peak in the first week of November. I didn't get much else on the move today, other than some Barn Swallows, but before Sept there will be noteworthy flights of Eastern Kingbirds and Bobolinks. Greg Hanisek Waterbury

Burying Hill Beach and Sherwood Island SP are great for Red-winged Blackbird migration in late July through August as well. Large flocks began moving south over a week ago. I have found that movement begins at dawn and slows by 8-9am. Many flocks are up very high and can be missed with the naked eye so continuing to scan with binoculars is a must. Eastern Kingbird and Bobolink migration in August is also good at these locations in Westport. Tina Green Westport Sent from my iPhone > On Jul 31, 2022, at 1:29 PM, Gregory Hanisek via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > The northbound migration iof shorebirds in May gets overshadowed by > warblers. Right now things are in reverse: the exciting southbound > shorebird push, augmented by an amazingly cooperative Curlew Sandpiper, is > getting all the juice. But landbird migration has begun as well, as > underlined by Paul Desdjardins amazingly eraary Blackpoll Warbler a few > days ago. > > This morning, after a bit of dithering, I headed to Lighthouse Point Park > in New Haven. This is one of the state's premier places to observe diurnal > migration in fall, but prime time is Sept to early Nov. But with good > weather (that is moderate northwest winds) I knew something would be > happening this morning. I didn't get there until 8:15, but I immediately > found myself in the midst of a little-known but consistent and reliable > late summer movement - the early push of Red-winged Blackbirds. > > Because I'm easily amused, I've been coming to Lighthouse on promising > days in late July through August for years, and I had no doubt today would > produce a 4-digit count of passage Red-wingeds. Signed, sealed, delivered. > From 8:15 to 9:15 I logged 2400. It then slowed down, with only 200 more > before it essentially ended at 9:30. > > I'm not aware of this movement being readily apparent anywhere else in the > state, which underscores Lighthouse's value as a convergence point for > diurnal migrants, most famously raptors. By the time the hawks start in > Septemeber, this phase of the Red-winged migration is over. The really big > movement of Icterids won't resume until after mid-October into the peak in > the first week of November. > > I didn't get much else on the move today, other than some Barn Swallows, > but before Sept there will be noteworthy flights of Eastern Kingbirds and > Bobolinks. > > Greg Hanisek > Waterbury > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

I haven't been watching as intently during July as Greg or Tina, but last week I noticed this event in a small scale at Hammonasset Beach SP in Madison following a weak cold front. Several flocks, up high, moving down the coast to the west as they do during their better-known late autumn migration window. Nick Bonomo Wallingford, CT www.shorebirder.com On Sun, Jul 31, 2022 at 3:51 PM Tina Green via CTBirds < ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > Burying Hill Beach and Sherwood Island SP are great for Red-winged > Blackbird migration in late July through August as well. Large flocks began > moving south over a week ago. I have found that movement begins at dawn and > slows by 8-9am. Many flocks are up very high and can be missed with the > naked eye so continuing to scan with binoculars is a must. Eastern Kingbird > and Bobolink migration in August is also good at these locations in > Westport. > > Tina Green > Westport > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Jul 31, 2022, at 1:29 PM, Gregory Hanisek via CTBirds < > ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > > > The northbound migration iof shorebirds in May gets overshadowed by > > warblers. Right now things are in reverse: the exciting southbound > > shorebird push, augmented by an amazingly cooperative Curlew Sandpiper, > is > > getting all the juice. But landbird migration has begun as well, as > > underlined by Paul Desdjardins amazingly eraary Blackpoll Warbler a few > > days ago. > > > > This morning, after a bit of dithering, I headed to Lighthouse Point Park > > in New Haven. This is one of the state's premier places to observe > diurnal > > migration in fall, but prime time is Sept to early Nov. But with good > > weather (that is moderate northwest winds) I knew something would be > > happening this morning. I didn't get there until 8:15, but I immediately > > found myself in the midst of a little-known but consistent and reliable > > late summer movement - the early push of Red-winged Blackbirds. > > > > Because I'm easily amused, I've been coming to Lighthouse on promising > > days in late July through August for years, and I had no doubt today > would > > produce a 4-digit count of passage Red-wingeds. Signed, sealed, > delivered. > > From 8:15 to 9:15 I logged 2400. It then slowed down, with only 200 more > > before it essentially ended at 9:30. > > > > I'm not aware of this movement being readily apparent anywhere else in > the > > state, which underscores Lighthouse's value as a convergence point for > > diurnal migrants, most famously raptors. By the time the hawks start in > > Septemeber, this phase of the Red-winged migration is over. The really > big > > movement of Icterids won't resume until after mid-October into the peak > in > > the first week of November. > > > > I didn't get much else on the move today, other than some Barn Swallows, > > but before Sept there will be noteworthy flights of Eastern Kingbirds and > > Bobolinks. > > > > Greg Hanisek > > Waterbury > > > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ > > CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing > birders together statewide. Please support COA: > https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ > CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For > list rules and subscription information visit: > https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/