Fox Sparrow. Mike Bailey/Macaulay Library. eBird S35310036.
Continental Summary
Light to moderate flights in the West, primarily in California and the Desert Southwest, featured Black-chinned Hummingbird, Western Kingbird, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Wilson’s Warbler, and Hooded Oriole, while a mostly quiet and cooler East saw locally moderate movements featuring Swainson’s Hawk, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Hooded Warbler, Fox Sparrow, and Chipping Sparrow.
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A quiet period for migration was dominated by the return of significant winter weather. A large storm dumped record snowfall on portions of the Northeast, while cool temperatures prevailed in many areas. Movements were locally light toward the end of the period in the central Mississippi River Valley, with the remainder of the region experiencing little if any significant flights. However, it should be noted that snow-induced movements were numerous, especially for areas New York and New England, where more terrestrial species like American Woodcock and numerous sparrows were concentrated in unprecedented numbers in urban areas like New York City.
Locally moderate flights in Texas and Florida highlighted the weekend, while the remainder of the region stayed relatively quiet from a migration perspective. Tuesday and Wednesday nights saw slightly more extensive movements, particularly in Texas, where light to moderate flights were apparent. The greatest extent of movements occurred on Thursday night, when areas west of the Mississippi River and in Florida experienced light to locally moderate flights.
Top Movers
Increasing
Species
Increase from Last Week
% of Checklists Reporting
Barn Swallow
59%
8.7
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
59%
6.2
Black-chinned Hummingbird
108%
1.2
Louisiana Waterthrush
106%
1.2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
56%
2.4
Cliff Swallow
96%
1.2
Tree Swallow
22%
14.1
Yellow-throated Vireo
83%
1.1
Couch's Kingbird
37%
2.7
Black-and-white Warbler
29%
6
Purple Martin
21%
8.2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
89%
0.8
Swainson's Hawk
215%
0.3
Black-necked Stilt
25%
2.8
White-eyed Vireo
10%
11.3
American Golden-Plover
66%
0.9
Hooded Warbler
287%
0.2
Hooded Oriole
129%
0.3
Golden-cheeked Warbler
82%
0.5
Blue-winged Teal
6%
11.3
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
13%
4.6
Brown-headed Cowbird
7%
8.6
Black Skimmer
22%
2.3
Decreasing
Species
Decrease from Last Week
% of Checklists Reporting
American Robin
-17%
19.7
Eastern Phoebe
-13%
19.4
Gadwall
-19%
5.3
Northern Pintail
-60%
0.5
American Pipit
-41%
0.8
Ring-necked Duck
-22%
4.1
American Wigeon
-24%
2.1
Ring-billed Gull
-12%
11.9
Song Sparrow
-11%
11.3
Pine Warbler
-9%
12.8
Green-winged Teal
-13%
4.4
Bufflehead
-11%
4
Fish Crow
-7%
17.4
Golden-crowned Kinglet
-13%
3.8
Herring Gull
-11%
3.7
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
-8%
5.8
Redhead
-14%
1.8
American Kestrel
-7%
9.9
Eared Grebe
-22%
0.7
Double-crested Cormorant
-5%
23.7
Canvasback
-34%
0.3
Pectoral Sandpiper. Rick Sammons/Macaulay Library. eBird S35363598.
Great Plains
The region generally experienced a quiet week, primarily a result of wintry weather passing through the region and cooler temperatures with northerly and westerly winds prevailing. But the end of the period, on Wednesday and Thursday nights, saw the southern Plains illuminated on radar. These movements were light, primarily, with isolated areas of more moderate amounts in southern Oklahoma.
Top Movers
Increasing
Species
Increase from Last Week
% of Checklists Reporting
Blue-winged Teal
90%
13.7
Lesser Yellowlegs
273%
2.9
Northern Shoveler
43%
21.2
Lesser Scaup
45%
15.9
Long-billed Dowitcher
209%
2.7
Green-winged Teal
42%
19.1
Ruddy Duck
46%
10.6
Western Meadowlark
45%
15.7
Gadwall
28%
26.4
American Pipit
114%
3.3
Turkey Vulture
48%
8.9
Savannah Sparrow
53%
6.1
Pectoral Sandpiper
291%
1.4
Greater Scaup
86%
3.6
Ring-necked Duck
29%
17.2
Cinnamon Teal
242%
1.4
Killdeer
23%
31.6
Wilson's Snipe
84%
3.4
Greater Yellowlegs
61%
4.6
Great Blue Heron
27%
18
Fish Crow
117%
1.9
Double-crested Cormorant
30%
10.3
Least Sandpiper
101%
2.1
Bufflehead
23%
17.7
American Wigeon
24%
16
Decreasing
Species
Decrease from Last Week
% of Checklists Reporting
Red-bellied Woodpecker
-15%
19
White-breasted Nuthatch
-21%
10.7
Brown Creeper
-40%
2.2
Carolina Chickadee
-22%
6.3
Tufted Titmouse
-18%
10.7
Downy Woodpecker
-13%
20.1
Rough-legged Hawk
-38%
1.8
Golden-crowned Kinglet
-38%
1.4
Dark-eyed Junco
-8%
38.7
Yellow-rumped Warbler
-16%
8.4
House Finch
-10%
18
Sharp-shinned Hawk
-37%
1.3
Carolina Wren
-10%
12.6
Hermit Thrush
-39%
0.7
Common Merganser
-17%
4.5
Red-headed Woodpecker
-25%
1.9
Canada Goose
-6%
40.9
Red-shouldered Hawk
-15%
4
American Goldfinch
-5%
17
Harris's Sparrow
-7%
12.1
American Woodcock
-64%
0.2
Cackling Goose
-13%
4.9
Warbling Vireo. Herb Elliot/Macaulay Library. eBird S35140266.
West
Light to moderate flights from the Pacific Northwest through the Desert Southwest kicked off the weekend. These movements became less extensive by Monday as unfavorable migration weather arrived in Washington and Oregon. California and the Desert Southwest continued to experience light to locally moderate flights through the period, with a return of locally light flights to the Pacific Northwest by Thursday night. Movements in the remainder of the region during this period were locally light.