Subject: [Tweeters] Battle Ground Night Flights
Date: Sep 8 20:46:47 2011
From: Jim Danzenbaker - jdanzenbaker at gmail.com


Tweeters,

The Fall is finally ramping up and the night flight of Swainson's Thrushes
over my Battle Ground, Clark County yard is getting bigger and better. This
morning, there were 36 calls per minute from 5am-6am which translates
into 12 birds per minute or 720 birds. Rough calculation is based on three
audible calls within hearing range per bird as they fly over. I don't know
if that number of birds was consistent throughout the night as I think the
birds fly higher during the early hours (when I'm supposed to be
sleeping) so I don't hear as many or they may not call as much in the middle
of the night - who knows.

The mornings have produced good migrants in my magic grove of trees
(2nd year when they've been big enough to attract something) as well as to
my water feature and adjacent blackberries (first time that I've had
blackberries near the yard). Total number between August 30 through
September 8 and then (daily high with date) :

Willow Flycatcher - 5(2-8/30)
Black-throated Gray Warbler - 7(2-8/31)
Warbling Vireo - 12(4-9/6)
Yellow Warbler - 8(2-9/1, 9/7, 9/8)
Western Tanager - 9(3-9/6, 9/7)
Wilson's Warbler - 4(1 on four days)
Orange-crowned Warbler - 4(2-8/31)
Swainson's Thrush - 10(2-last four mornings)
PS Flycatcher - 1(8/31)
Black-headed Grosbeak (3(2-9/5)

There seems to be visible turnover of birds every day so monitoring the
numbers and whether they are different birds or not is pretty easy (except
for the Willow Flycathers which nested in the area).

The Cedar Waxwings and American Robins have been increasing dramatically and
all found the water feature and blackberries at the same time this morning
so things were crazy with all the action. First flock of Evening Grosbeaks
flew over this morning as well.

Keep your eyes and ears skyward.

Jim
--
Jim Danzenbaker
Battle Ground, WA
360-723-0345
jdanzenbaker at gmail.com
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