Update: Weekend of April 14-15

Numbers of Purple Finches arrived in northwestern Ohio this week. Photo by Kenn Kaufman.

Friday, April 13, 2018: At the time of our last post, the extended weather forecast made it sound as if this weekend could offer very good birding. Unfortunately, the forecast has changed considerably since then. The southerly winds of the last couple of days are ending tonight. Winds will shift around to the northeast, temperatures will drop, and we're predicted to get a lot of rain over the weekend in northwestern Ohio. 

The middle of this week did see a good arrival of early migrants, as predicted. Daytime flights brought a push of Sharp-shinned Hawks and some other raptors. Among the nocturnal migrants that appeared or increased this week were Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Chipping Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, Purple Finch, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. With the arrival of northerly winds and cooler temperatures, these birds are likely to stick around. So if you can get out between rain showers this weekend, and check the sheltered, downwind, edges of the woods, you may still find good birding. 

Looking ahead, we may have southerly winds and the chance for a good daytime flight on Wednesday, April 18. But overall the pattern looks like a return to cooler temperatures and winds mostly from the north, holding down the migration. 

While this weather forecast may seem a little discouraging, it's important to remember that some migrants will continue to filter into the region even if conditions aren't favorable. And when the weather does shift to bring warmer temps and southerly winds, there will be a huge backlog of migrants still south of us, waiting to move in this direction. We will keep an eye on the forecasts and try to update as soon as we have potential good news.