Fall 2018 Bird Migration Survey Results

The Fishers Island Conservancy Fall 2018 Bird Migration Survey was held on September 23. Following Audubon bird count rules, the group made 15 five-minute stops. At each timed stop, the birders would count birds and call out what they saw.

We observed a total of 41 species, less than last year but still higher than average for past Fall counts. Starting later in the month than usual, we missed out on the large migration of swallows that occurred the week before, and certain species of warblers, but made up for it in the number of raptors (hawks and falcons) that were making their way south during the count.

Here’s the list of species reported from the count:
American crow
American goldfinch
American kestrel
American robin
Black-capped chickadee
Black-crowned night heron
Belted kingfisher
Bluejay
Blue-winged warbler
Canada goose
Carolina wren
Cedar waxwing
Chipping sparrow
Common eider
Cooper’s hawk
Common raven
Double-crested cormorant
Eastern Phoebe
European starling
Great blue heron
Gray catbird
Great egret
Green heron
Herring gull
House finch
House wren
Killdeer
Mallard
Mourning dove
Mute swan
Northern harrier
Northern flicker
Northern mockingbird
Osprey
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Song sparrow
Tree swallow
Tufted titmouse
White-breasted nuthatch
Yellow-rumped warblers
Yellow warbler

 

by Adam Mitchell, Associate Wildlife Biologist ® PhD Student, Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology University of Delaware