<< Back 9/11/02 The Naturalist's Corner By Don Hendershot Fall migration is now in full swing. It started back in mid August with a few shorebirds headed south. By the end of August raptors like broad-winged hawks, ospreys and bald eagles were leaving Canada and the northern tier of states. While shorebirds are winding down waterfowl are picking up. A few early passerines (songbirds) have been trickling south since late August, they are now moving through in large numbers and the push of broad-winged hawks is imminent. During the next three to four weeks millions of birds will pass through or over WNC. Passerines migrate at night because it’s safer; they don’t have to worry about as many hungry raptors. They fall out in the mornings, in large mixed flocks to feed and rest and get ready for the next leg of their journey. With telescopes, spotting scopes and/or binoculars, patience and a little luck you could get a glimpse of this night time aerial display. The full moon of Sept. 21 will shine a light on fall migration. Actually, the sun will shine the light, the moon is the projection screen and with optics trained on the screen you will see the silhouettes of birds passing in the night. There is a window of good viewing; three or four nights either side of the full moon provided, of course, that the weather’s decent — no rain or heavy winds from the south. Nocturnal migrants hit the skies shortly after dark. Research from the 1950s showed that the most productive hours are from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. By dawn almost all of these night flyers have returned to terra firma. “Listers” may not be particularly keen on this exercise, as identifying species is generally not possible. There are, however, some broad distinctions that can be made. Shorebirds, waterfowl and waders like herons migrate in close formations. Songbirds migrate in loose flocks. Some species may be identified as they pass overhead by their call notes. Fall migration can be intimidating. A fallout can produce hundreds of songbirds from warbler size (five inches) to robin size (10 inches) all constantly flitting about in search of a meal. To top it off, most of the warblers will be in fall plumage, which in most cases, is dramatically different from their nesting finery and many of all species will be juveniles, whose plumage differs from the adults. This is a time for study, sharpening your birding skills and just taking the time to enjoy what you are experiencing. I believe Peterson’s field guides offer the best resource, especially for novice birders. There are two pages of plates of confusing fall warblers. This allows one, in the field, to turn quickly to one spot for clues, reference and comparison rather than to have to go to each separate plate. One place in WNC to go and develop or brush up on fall ID-ing skills is Ridge Junction Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway, at milepost 355 – the entrance to Mt. Mitchell State Park. This spot, discovered a few years ago by Dwayne and Lori Martin of Catawaba County, is a migrant trap. Dwayne and Lori or members of their local birding club are generally at the overlook every weekend from now through October. It is a unique way of birding for passerines — more like a hawk watch. They take lawn chairs and sit at the overlook and wait for waves of migrants. The birds come up the valley from Mt. Mitchell and many stop momentarily at the parkway before continuing south. Now is the time to get out for some shadow watching during the full moon or get to Ridge Junction, or Caesar’s Head for raptors, or any of your favorite birding haunts. More than 90 percent of the bird species that nested in the U.S. this past summer will be gone in a few short weeks. It is truly a spectacle worth witnessing. (Don Hendershot can be reached at don@smokymountainnews.com)