Cedar Waxwing © Ryan Schain
Continental Summary
This period brought light to moderate flights that featured Western Sandpiper, Dunlin, Long-billed Dowitcher, Swainson’s Thrush, and Cedar Waxwing to the West, primarily in the middle of the week and scattered from California to the Rockies and north to Canada, while the East enjoyed moderate to locally heavy early and later week flights that featured Black Skimmer, Common Nighthawk, Black-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Swainson’s Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, and Dickcissel.
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Quick Links to Regions
Upper Midwest and Northeast |
Gulf Coast and Southeast |
Great Plains |
West |
Upper Midwest and Northeast
Moderate to locally heavy flights overspread the region over the weekend, until a low pressure system set the brakes for most flights away from the Great Lakes and New England. In the wake of this frontal passage, primarily light to locally moderate flights were the norm of the rest of the work week, although these flights were not widespread or consistent in their spatial distribution.
Top Movers
Increasing
| Species | Increase from Last Week | % of Checklists Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Waxwing | 41% | 27.6 |
| Dickcissel | 85% | 2.3 |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | 17% | 6.2 |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | 20% | 9 |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | 11% | 31.2 |
| Black Guillemot | 76% | 0.6 |
| Black-bellied Plover | 18% | 3.6 |
| Sanderling | 24% | 1.9 |
| Black Skimmer | 30% | 1.3 |
| Least Tern | 18% | 3.2 |
| Acadian Flycatcher | 13% | 7.1 |
| Sedge Wren | 24% | 1.2 |
| Ruddy Turnstone | 15% | 3.1 |
| Willet | 14% | 4.2 |
| Grasshopper Sparrow | 16% | 2.7 |
Decreasing
| Species | Decrease from Last Week | % of Checklists Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Warbler | -81% | 1 |
| Swainson's Thrush | -69% | 2.6 |
| Magnolia Warbler | -64% | 3.9 |
| White-crowned Sparrow | -89% | 0.2 |
| Blackpoll Warbler | -52% | 5.9 |
| Northern Waterthrush | -58% | 2.2 |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler | -49% | 2.9 |
| Northern Parula | -41% | 5.6 |
| Least Sandpiper | -47% | 3.4 |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | -35% | 8.3 |
| Palm Warbler | -81% | 0.3 |
| Nashville Warbler | -46% | 2.4 |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | -39% | 3.4 |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | -65% | 0.6 |
| Solitary Sandpiper | -61% | 0.5 |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | -57% | 0.7 |
| Black-and-white Warbler | -25% | 7.6 |
| Blackburnian Warbler | -31% | 3.7 |
| Cape May Warbler | -59% | 0.4 |
| Least Flycatcher | -28% | 6.1 |
| American Redstart | -24% | 21.4 |
| Black-throated Green Warbler | -25% | 6.7 |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | -20% | 12.8 |
| White-throated Sparrow | -31% | 2.7 |
| Short-billed Dowitcher | -41% | 1.8 |
American Redstart © Ryan Schain
Gulf Coast and Southeast
Aside from locally moderate flights early in the period in the western portions of the region, primarily in Texas, this was a typical quiet, late season week. Isolated moderate movements in Florida on Friday night punctuated the otherwise lackluster light flights to the east of the Mississippi. Strong storms shut down most western movements on Monday and Thursday nights in Texas.
Top Movers
Increasing
Decreasing
| Species | Decrease from Last Week | % of Checklists Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| American Redstart | -62% | 1.3 |
| Dunlin | -76% | 0.6 |
| Cedar Waxwing | -51% | 2.7 |
| Spotted Sandpiper | -55% | 1.6 |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | -50% | 1.9 |
| Least Sandpiper | -57% | 0.8 |
| Swainson's Thrush | -80% | 0.1 |
| Wilson's Phalarope | -80% | 0.1 |
| Blackburnian Warbler | -77% | 0.2 |
| Least Flycatcher | -71% | 0.2 |
| Whimbrel | -62% | 0.4 |
| Stilt Sandpiper | -67% | 0.2 |
| Yellow Warbler | -37% | 1.3 |
| Blue-winged Teal | -45% | 1.4 |
| Black-bellied Plover | -37% | 1.5 |
| Sanderling | -32% | 2.5 |
| Blackpoll Warbler | -65% | 0.3 |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | -42% | 0.9 |
| Semipalmated Plover | -31% | 2.3 |
| Willet | -32% | 3.3 |
| Canada Warbler | -46% | 0.5 |
| Magnolia Warbler | -65% | 0.2 |
| Bobolink | -67% | 0.2 |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | -46% | 0.6 |
Common Nighthawk © Benjamin Van Doren
Great Plains
Moderate to locally heavy movements passed through the region this week. The northern Plains enjoyed these movements over the weekend, followed by the central and southern Plains on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. However, migration activity was certainly disrupted in many areas by significant and intense storms, particularly on Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights.
Top Movers
Increasing
| Species | Increase from Last Week | % of Checklists Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Common Nighthawk | 46% | 10 |
| Dickcissel | 27% | 18.5 |
| Bobolink | 24% | 11.9 |
| Marsh Wren | 32% | 6.9 |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | 22% | 12.9 |
Decreasing
| Species | Decrease from Last Week | % of Checklists Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Orange-crowned Warbler | -97% | 0.2 |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | -88% | 1.2 |
| Nashville Warbler | -91% | 0.5 |
| White-throated Sparrow | -91% | 0.4 |
| Ovenbird | -73% | 1.6 |
| Wilson's Warbler | -77% | 1.3 |
| Swainson's Thrush | -56% | 10.7 |
| Tennessee Warbler | -56% | 7.4 |
| Black-and-white Warbler | -57% | 3.5 |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | -99% | 0 |
| Blue-headed Vireo | -74% | 0.9 |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | -43% | 6.2 |
| Pine Siskin | -52% | 3.3 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | -72% | 0.5 |
| Least Flycatcher | -32% | 14.5 |
| Spotted Sandpiper | -31% | 13.1 |
| Least Sandpiper | -36% | 3 |
Olive-sided Flycatcher © Benjamin Van Doren
West
Light but widely scattered flights in California, Montana, and New Mexico highlighted the weekend, as other parts of the regions saw little movement. By Tuesday and Wednesday light to locally moderate movements were slightly more widespread, from California through New Mexico and north into the central Rockies. Note that some areas, particularly in southern New Mexico, continued to experience isolated moderate movements, even late in the week. Note that local bat movements may have contributed significantly to some of these New Mexico radar returns early and late in the week.
Top Movers
Increasing
| Species | Increase from Last Week | % of Checklists Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Waxwing | 13% | 11.2 |
| Swainson's Thrush | 9% | 11.9 |
| Western Wood-Pewee | 7% | 22.5 |
| Gray Catbird | 8% | 4.8 |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | 4% | 6.6 |
Decreasing
| Species | Decrease from Last Week | % of Checklists Reporting |
|---|---|---|
| Red-necked Phalarope | -75% | 0.4 |
| Townsend's Warbler | -45% | 1.7 |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | -92% | 0 |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | -25% | 9.3 |
| Wilson's Phalarope | -31% | 2.2 |
| Dunlin | -99% | 0 |
| Cinnamon Teal | -21% | 5.8 |
| Western Sandpiper | -90% | 0 |
| Northern Shoveler | -19% | 4.7 |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | -26% | 2.5 |
| Summer Tanager | -23% | 1.5 |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | -12% | 8.7 |
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Farnsworth and Van Doren
