Birding Journal Observations - March / April 2015

Rose-breasted grosbeak from April 28 - First Ever Sighting!!

A second wet winter in a row gave way to an early warm up, and a thick green-up of spring growth by early April. However the precipitation did not diminish and I recorded nearly 5-inches of rain during the final three weeks of April. With many plants blooming early and often under these conditions, the cavalcade of neotropical migratory songbirds began coming through the Lowcountry right on time!

A bird watcher's 'Life List' is a complete catalog of any bird witnessed during regular birding observations both at home or while traveling. It is with great joy I can report a notable bird sighting on April 28 when a male rose-bresated grosbeak made a first-ever appearance at my feeders, giving me a new entry for my Life List! Since this observation occurred in the Lowcountry, where I have lived all of my life, this is surely a grand example of avian migration since the rose-breasted grosbeak is simply passing through now and going to its summer range in the northern U.S. and Canada.

Some of the first sightings for other migratory species for 2015 include :
March 7 - two Northern flickers
March 9 - Brown-headed nuthatch
March 18 - Yellow-throated warbler
March 31 - two ruby-throated hummingbirds
April 1 - Swallow-tailed kite
April 15 - Two Indigo buntings, Whippoorwill
April 21 - Painted bunting, Blue grosbeak, Summer tanager, Mississippi kite
April 28 - Yellow-billed cuckoo, Rose-breasted grosbeak!!
May 1 - Black-throated blue warbler

Other birding observations from March and April include pileated woodpecker, downy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, dove, yellow-bellied sapsucker, brown-headed cowbird, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, chipping sparrow, white-throated sparow, brown thrasher, mockingbird, cardinal, towhee, blue jay, bluebird, bat, cooper's hawk, red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, great egret, Canada goose, blue-grey gnatcatcher, wood ducks, Carolina chickadee, pine siskin, goldfinch, Carolina wren, pine warbler, cedar waxwings, crow, red-headed woodpecker, grey catbird, wood stork, cattle egret and great blue heron.

To view the most recent Birding Journal Observations click Jan. / Feb. 2015

To view past Birding Journal Observations from March / April click 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009