Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Warbler Guy, where can I see autumn warbler migration on radar? Judging & planning potential good fall warbler watching days is possible by looking at online radar web sites?

Yes, Charlene (in Dubuque, IA), there's a superb composite radar site I recommend for birders: http://www.woodcreeper.com


Here, the current article posts relate to last spring's migration patterns, BUT on the
right side of the home page, look for the department heading "BIRDAR Network."


This listing of radar sites will help you get current information related to this summer and fall's migration dyanamics. So, for example, if you're wondering whether tomorrow is a likely heavy migration of incoming warblers through the Pheasant Branch Creek Conservancy (a superb Middleton, WI (Madison suburb) warbler "magnet trap" nature preserve/park with miles of hiking and biking trails within 15 minutes of the University of Wisconsin campus), then look at one or more of the sites posted under the "BIRDAR Network" area at the woodcreeper.com site. 


Wisconsin birders, alone, will be treated to their own Wisconsin-centric radar view of the southern portion of the Badger state (see graphic here, BELOW). Interpreting the color code meanings is another story for a different article here (or maybe one of my WarblerWatch followers wishes to pose a question to the infamous Warbler Guy, whomever that may be (?) ).


Note the woodcreeper.com site hosts many oThere's a chapter more of information that I could explain about monitoring radar sites to assist your birding efforts, but I don't have time now.


Instead, it's time to leave the Great Indoors, escaping with my binos that are cocked and ready to again view a couple of nearby juvenile Cooper's Hawk that I wish to currently go enjoy at dawn. That's when their calling behavior peaks. And with a pitch that initially resulted in head scratching. But then I listened more carefully, grabbed my long-term memory of the base root of an adult Cooper's typical staccato pattern. Result: daily Cooper's Hawk viewing fun.....and a nice substitute while I wait for the southbound warbler march to begin (i.e., I'll be in WI 8/30 - 9/4/12 to enjoy that region's warbler migration.)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tips, but it seems a little early for warblers....

Anonymous said...

Depends on where you are located. I saw my first couple migrant warblers in Central Illinois today. Chicago has been reporting them for a couple weeks.

Daniel Edelstein, M.S. said...

woodcreeper.com is a treasure

Anonymous said...

Yes, I agree: woodcreeper is a birder's best friend during migration. What a time saver!

Michelle said...

woodcreeper.com is a treasure