With the timing of the passage of last night’s cold front still in doubt when I went to bed last night, I decided to check in at Sandy Point Beach, just in case things had cleared enough to get a few birds on the move. Prior to last night’s line of thunderstorms – which passed through Pownal at about 9:30, with only a few drops falling on my thirsty garden – a few call notes were heard overhead. I was curious to see if birds would be moving after the front had passed and/or if birds would show up at Sandy Point on foggy conditions with very light winds. I know a good west, and especially northwest, wind produces the best flights here, but this season I wanted to check things out in less-than-optimal conditions to get a better understanding of the morning flight phenomena that occurs here. This morning, however, I obtained mostly “negative data:” one unidentified warbler overhead and one Black-and-white Warbler in the bushes. Tomorrow morning should be good, if the forecast holds true, but with some (non-birding) college buddies visiting this weekend, I’m not counting on any pre-dawn starts to birding outings!

After Sandy Point, I went into Portland, beginning in the woods along the Commercial Street extension. A Northern Waterthrush and an American Redstart were found. Then, it was over to the East End, first stopping at the “Chat Lot.” Unfortunately, smack-dab in the center of this weedy lot that hosted two Yellow-breasted Chats last fall was a new foundation and a big wall cut into the hillside. Too bad. However, there’s still enough vegetation on the hillside – including the two productive apple trees – so this spot will likely still be worth a check during migration – at least once the construction is complete.

Over at the Eastern Promenade, 6 Common Yellowthroats (not likely to be migrants), 2 Yellow Warblers (may or may not be migrants), and another Northern Waterthrush (definitely a migrant) were present. The weedy hillside here is looking real good for fall sparrows (peaking in October), as long as the City doesn’t decide to start ravaging it once again. I also saw a single White-throated Sparrow, which was odd for this location at this season – another example of a short-distance molt migration, perhaps?

Meanwhile, despite my focus on passerine migrants this morning, a handful of shorebirds (Semipalmated Plovers and Sandpipers) fed along the shoreline, a reminder that shorebird migration is far from over. A quick check of some of the vegetated patches in the downtown area (such as the garden of the First Parish Church) didn’t yield any migrants that could have been disoriented by the fog and weather last night.

But, after all, it is still August (until tomorrow anyway), and passerine migration is really beginning to heat up. As the season’s cold fronts get stronger, dig deeper south, and are followed by cooler air and northwest winds, we will see more and more birds in the bush. It’s a fun time of year!

Although weather does not CAUSE migration (it’s the need to move between seasonal food sources), it most certainly affects migration, from the timing of birds’ movements to the quantity and quality of birders’ observations. Birding by radar is an up-and-coming science (and sport), and is of great value for even casual observers. Take a look at Woodcreeper.com for a great primer and migration play-by-play. Sure, it’s dedicated to birding in New Jersey, but many of the patterns, events, and definitely the underlying variables, are applicable here in Maine and anywhere else. Also, keep an eye on the Migration Forecast on BirdCapeMay.org.

Meanwhile, in addition to our “regular” Point A to Point B migrants (to oversimplify things for sake of discussion), we have irregular, wandering, “irruptive” migrants. “Winter finches” are the classic example, but some other species can also be irruptive. Purple Finches and Red-breasted Nuthatches, for example, are both irruptive, even though both species are resident throughout Maine. Some winters we have more, some we have less. Irruptions of these two species – which often foreshadow irruptions of other, less common, more northerly breeding species (the “winter finches” for example) – often begin in August, with larger than normal numbers of these species occurring farther south than usual.

For example, Red-breasted Nuthatches are rare breeders in New Jersey, limited to the northwest highlands and the southern Pine Barrens. However, when irruptions occur, they are often detected in places like Cape May, where, since they don’t breed locally, you know that these birds have moved in from elsewhere. This is certainly been the case this year, and echoed around the Mid-Atlantic States.

Here in Maine, irruptions of Red-breasted Nuthatches are harder to detect, as it is a common bird in much of the state – it’s hard to notice when a few more arrive. However, I have noticed many more in migration traps around the Southern Maine coast this month. And, there was the one over the ocean on our mid-August ½ Day Portland Pelagic. Plus, the fact that Red-breasted Nuthatches were the 4th most abundant landbird on Monhegan Island on Wednesday tells me that there are a lot of these little gnomes on the move! I suspect that, when conditions are right (see first paragraph), there will be quite a few moving through Sandy Point as well.

Furthermore, Purple Finches also seem to be irrupting, at least here in Southern Maine. I have noted many more of this species in migration traps around the region, plus I am seeing more at places where they don’t breed – like the 4 hanging out at our store’s feeder; they’re usually rare visitors to our feeding station. Plus, I have been noting at least a few calling overhead, heading southward, almost everywhere that I have been birding of late.

Hopefully, this is a sign of an increase of these species augmented by individuals to our north (or west, or east), and not by “our” birds clearing out. If we are seeing these species arriving now, and sticking around, then that might mean we are in store for a good winter finch year.

So, I am very curious to know who else is seeing these species, both in Maine and beyond. Are you? I’d appreciate info on Purple Finches and Red-breasted Nuthatches. Are you seeing them? Where? More than normal? Any observations and records are most welcome.

But, enough about winter – and winter finches – it’s still summer, and we have a fall migration to enjoy!