5/1 IL Migration Report

May came in style today, with all sorts of warblers, thrushes, mimids, flycatchers, incterids, and cardinalids becoming increasingly prevalent today. Other than passerines, herons like GREEN and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, shorebirds like SEMIPALMATED and LEAST SANDPIPERS, DUNLINS, and SANDERLINGS, and hummingbirds were moving en masse. Here are a few species that are a little rarer, but were highlights of a handful of birders' lists today: LITTLE BLUE HERON, PRAIRIE WARBLER, CAPE MAY WARBLER, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and BOBOLINK, These species' concentrations of migration were smaller compared to massive movements of species like ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, PALM WARBLER, and GRAY CATBIRD, which were staples on bird lists today. Of course there is a ton more...just check IBET...but this is a nice summary.

Go Midwest! Look at all the blobs of bird migration over Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Tonight, IL is experiencing weak southeasterly winds, and again is covered by moderate to heavy migration. As weather people have predicted, there is a cold front moving in from the northwest that

brings some storm activity, which would be perfect for migratory fallout. Unfortunately, these stormy conditions trail behind the front, and may only just barely hit the northwestern tip of IL by tomorrow morning, so I wouldn't count on any significant fallout tonight. But hey, we still have A LOT of movement, and tomorrow should again be just an awesome day to be birding, even if it is a bit cooler.

Tomorrow's conditions could be significantly worse, depending entirely on how quickly the cold front bringing northwesterly winds moves through the state; if you remain south of it into tomorrow night, you will remain in the realm of favorable conditions for migration.

Anyway, here's my giant list of birds to be on the look out for arrivals/influxes of in YOUR area: BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS, GREEN HERON, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, SORA, VIRGINIA RAIL, COMMON GALLINULE, maybe SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, PECTORAL, SPOTTED, LEAST, and SOLITARY SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, SANDERLING, UPLAND SANDPIPER, WILLET, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, FORSTER'S TERN, COMMON TERN, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL, CHIMNEY SWIFT, RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, LEAST FLYCATCHER, GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, BLUE-HEADED, WHITE-EYED, WARBLING and RED-EYED VIREO, HOUSE WREN, SEDGE WREN, MARSH WREN, all the expected swallows, all the expected sparrows (especially take note of LE CONTE'S SPARROWS, HENSLOW'S SPARROWS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, and CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS), SWAINSON'S, GRAY-CHEEKED, and WOOD THRUSHES, warblers including but not limited to BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS, ORANGE CROWNED WARBLERS, PRAIRIE WARBLERS, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, PINE WARBLERS, YELLOW WARBLERS, HOODED WARBLERS, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS, NORTHERN PARULAS, LOUISIANA + NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, WORM-EATING WARBLERS, COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, SCARLET and SUMMER TANAGERS, ORCHARD and BALTIMORE ORIOLES, BREWER'S, RUSTY, and YELLOW HEADED BLACKBIRDS, INDIGO BUNTINGS, BOBOLINKS, and possibly early DICKCISSELS. And with migration, there are always chances of early overshoots and vagrants too.

Good luck tomorrow, everyone! Happy Spring!