Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Q I want to plan a trip to see migrants along the Gulf Coast in Texas next spring.
How can I schedule this so I'm there on the best days?
A
AprilisanidealmonthalongtheTexascoast.Migrantsongbirdsbeginarrivinginlarge
numbers early in the month, but maximum numbers of warblers fly in usually around the
third week of April. On days with “weather events,” often after southerly winds in Mex-
ico sent birds flying across the Gulf of Mexico but rain on the Texas coast stops them,
numbers can be huge, with as many as 30 species of warblers!
NearlyeveryBroad-wingedandSwainson'sHawkintheworldpassesthroughVeracruz,
Mexico, in a 15-day period each fall. Single day counts can surpass a million! And an
even larger migration passes over the Panama Canal, where all the hawks flying from
North to South America must funnel through.
Unless you happen to have your own private jet and can take off at the drop of a hat
when favorable weather is about to arrive, there's a huge amount of luck involved in be-
ing at any migratory hot spot on the best days of the season. Part of your strategy should
be to find alternative birding plans if one spot doesn't pan out. Learning about nearby
birding spots ahead of time can provide an excellent “Plan B.” The American Birding
Associationpublishesbirders'guidestomanyhotspots,whichmakeresearchingthepos-
sibilities for any birding adventure fun and easy. Remember that migrants crossing the
Gulf from Mexico often don't arrive on the upper Texas coast until afternoon. So even if
few birds are around in the morning, it's often worth checking “migrant traps” again in
the afternoon.
COUNTING MIGRATING FLOCKS
Counting large numbers of birds
is yet another birding skill for which practice
makes perfect. It's easiest to start out counting smaller groups of birds that are perched
or on the ground, and work your way up. Small flocks of a single species can be counted
one by one. Larger flocks often must be counted in groups. Count by the smallest group-
ing you can.
In most places you'll usually be able to count single species flocks by fives or tens,
but when you are at a major gathering place on a shore or wetland, you may have to
learn to count by 20s or even 100s. If it's a huge gathering, divide up the total flock into
