New birds arrived overnight as the low pressure associated with a stalled cold front made its way offshore early this morning. The migration cloud extended from the Carolinas up into the southern half of New Jersey, with lighter amounts extending up into the central and northern reaches of the Garden State this morning.

Migration Weather Forecast

Friday – Sunday

With the front now offshore, high pressure will build in today and bring north/northwest winds to the region, effectively shutting down any major migration for the weekend. Another low pressure system is expected at the beginning of the week, which should drive winds around to the east as early as Sunday night. Therefore there is a slight possibility that birds will move on Sunday night, but the majority of migration will be reserved for early next week.

Next Week

The next warm front will approach the region by Monday, bringing with it moderate southeasterly flow on Monday and Tuesday, and the possibility of some precipitation as well. Migration conditions look good for both Monday and Tuesday night, and depending on the amount of precipitation, we could see localized concentrations of migrants following these flights. Following the passage of the front, high pressure will again build in with strong northerly winds and therefore cause a break in the migration flow by midweek.

Birding Forecast

The birding just keeps getting better. Last night's flight should produce some new birds across the region, with the largest turnover from southern New Jersey southward. In the absence of cooperative weather over the next two days, we should see only localized movements of migrants as they search for better foraging habitat. Spring migrant traps will be the best bet as well, while places like Belleplain Forest along the northern Delaware Bay should be good locations for picking up newly arriving breeders. Eastern Phoebes have become more numerous over the last few days, as have several species of swallow (tree and northern rough-winged). A Nashville Warbler made an early appearance at Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, giving us a taste of things soon to come!

Good Birding,

David La Puma