Fall Migration
The Warbler Capital of the World
October: By now the warbler migration is well past peak, although a few species, such as Yellow-rumped Warbler, are moving strongly in October. Sparrow migration has picked up, and will be a major feature of the month. Many short-distance migrants have their peak passage in October: Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, American Pipit, and others. Shorebird migration continues strongly through the first half of the month, but numbers and variety drop off thereafter. Waterfowl migration is picking up, and many dabbling ducks are numerous throughout most of October, although geese, swans, and diving ducks tend to peak later.
November: Waterfowl migration is the main feature of November, with many of the ducks and geese, plus Tundra Swans, having their peak numbers this month. Some other waterbirds, such as Common Loon and Horned Grebe, peak at the same time. Sparrow migration is still going strong, but most other groups of songbirds have mostly passed through by this time. Rusty Blackbirds pass through in largest numbers during late October and early November. Especially along Lake Erie, very large numbers of Bonaparte's Gulls and other gulls are gathering at this time. Some wintering birds, such as American Tree Sparrow, Snow Bunting, and Lapland Longspur, have their major arrival in November.
December: Almost all species are past the peak of their migration by the first of December, but surprising numbers of stragglers will continue to move during this month. Some wintering species, such as Common Goldeneye, may not be present in full numbers until December, and some rare northern gulls may not show up until then. Sandhill Crane migration has been getting later in recent years, with the birds not moving out of staging areas northwest of Ohio until forced out by weather, so their peak passage through Ohio is now often in December.
For more information, check out Black Swamp Bird Observatory's page on the fall migration!
