For those wondering where our spring migrants are, and when we might expect
them:
I just returned from a week of birding western Mexico, from 4-21 to 4-28.?
Expecting to see very few of our familiar birds lingering, I was stunned at how
many were still around.? When I birded these areas in mid-May three years ago,
almost all of the northern migrants had already vacated Nayarit/Jalisco/Colima,
but what a difference two weeks make!? Black-headed Grosbeaks and Yellow
Warblers do breed there, but not nearly in the numbers I saw.? Of the birds that
only breed far to the north, Wilson?s, Nashville and MacGillivray?s Warblers
were quite numerous, as were Lincoln?s Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes. ??Less
numerous, but nevertheless ?why are you still here?? were Western Wood-pewee,
various empid flycatchers, Western Tanager, Black-throated Gray Warbler,
Northern Shoveler and Blue-winged Teal. ?Loads of shorebirds are coming through,
too, including several Whimbrel and Willet boldly navigating Easter beach
crowds, ?marshes brimming with Long-billed Dowitchers, and more Stilt Sandpipers
than I?ve ever seen in one place!
?
Consider that most of these beauties should be on territory within the next two
or three weeks.? Now consider that they all breed (at least mainly) north of the
border, 1000+ miles away, as the warbler flies.? Then consider that some, like
Wilson?s Warbler, will mostly go at least the 1,500 ADDITIONAL miles to get to
our latitude?Whimbrels twice that far!? Now be amazed that they make it in such
a short time, and still have the energy to reproduce.

?
Jeff Bryant
Seattle
Jbryant_68 AT yahoo