As summer turns to autumn on Sunday, we'll continue with the cold front/ high pressure pattern that dominates during this time of the year, and which is responsible for the progressive migration of birds from the breeding grounds to their winter locales.

Migration Weather

A cold front is moving across the region tonight, and bringing with in westerly and northwesterly winds. We should see some migration over New York and Pennsylvania tonight, with some of this movement making its way east into the coastal states by morning. Sunday night should see northwest winds across the region which will bring another (and likely much larger) push of migrants into the Mid-Atlantic by Monday. This pattern continues into the week with another cold front forecast for Thursday.

Birding Forecast

Where to bird? With northwest winds in the forecast, coastal locations will be good choices over the next couple of days. Check the morning winds at your local coastal migrant trap to see if birds are to be expected. Is there an easterly sea breeze at daybreak? If so, try a site further inland. Since no precipitation is forecast for this front, migrants will be well dispersed across the landscape- so stick with the tried-and-true migrant traps.

Migration in action

Derek Lovitch, a New Jersey native and fantastic birder/naturalist, posted an account of a migration event in his neck of the woods (Portland Maine). You can view it here, on his regular column for the Maine Today online newspaper.
And of course, you should always check the View From the Field to see the results of the daily research conducted by CMBO staff, and View From the Cape to find out about what birds are being seen out-and-about Cape May.

Good Birding!

David ( http://www.woodcreeper.com )