OpenMic

by Alec Hopping Every year as summer wanes, birders across North America eagerly turn to the Winter Finch Forecast, with the hopes that it might be an irruption year, when birds of the boreal forests descend on areas well outside of their normal, chilly ranges. 2020 is one such year, and indeed, it has already been an exceptional fall in the East for numerous species, particularly Pine Siskin. Morning flight surveys at Cape May, for example, have featured exceptional counts not only of Pine Siskins, but also of Brown Creepers, kinglets, and both Red-breasted read more >>

When we arrived at midnight, we found a macabre scene. Several hundred Violet-green Swallows were strewn across the bank of the Rio Grande. Dozens of birds had stuffed themselves into the few natural cavities, and many more were dead amongst the vegetation.

Weather, and its effects on birds, has long been a key point of focus for many birders. There is perhaps one weather-related birding event, however, that piques birders’ interests more than any other...