2015 Birding Journal Observations - September / October

Shorebird migration is fun to watch in Fall

September saw hot weather continue but fall migration was afoot as well, and I had a female Baltimore Oriole at my jelly feeder on 9/12, for the first time ever! Then on 9/14 I saw the first female American Redstart at the bird bath station and a yellow warbler in the bushes. Other September observations included Great Blue Heron, yellow-throated vireo, blue jay, cardinal, dove, ruby-throated hummingbird, towhee, downy woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse, mockingbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, summer tanager, red-bellied woodpecker, brown thrasher, wood thrush, red-headed woodpecker and pileated woodpecker.

The first weekend in October saw record flooding rains rattle the Lowcountry on Oct. 2 - 5 with some places receiving 22-inches of rain! To say that it was a change in climactic conditions would be an understatement, and many migratory birds flew South ahead of the rains. My hummingbirds left that weekend for the winter, but were still within two weeks of their average departure date. Other October observations include (all of the above) plus the first Kinglet on Oct. 30. Red berries in Magnolia and Dogwood trees seems to be the best draw in October with bunches of woodpeckers coming by including a group of four Northern Flickers, a group of four yellow-bellied sapsuckers, a pair of pileated woodpeckers and a red-bellied woodpecker. Gotta love red berries!!

To view my most recent Birding Journal Observations click July / August 2015

To view past Birding Journal Observations for September / October click 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009