by Megan Hart, Park Biologist

One of the great joys of birding is that every season offers something new to observe and experience. Winter highlights resident birds and visitors from the far north that come to overwinter with us. Summer is all about breeding birds. In fall, we bid farewell to migratory breeding birds, get glimpses of passing migrants, and welcome back overwintering friends. Spring, however, is the time of year that really gets birders excited as billions of migratory birds head north to their breeding grounds dressed in their breeding plumage. 

May is the month that most birders anxiously await. It is the month when neotropical migrants truly have the stage and the pace of songbird migration begins to reach its peak. Warblers flit by in bright flashes of color. You can expect to see Nashville, black-and-white, Canada, bay-breasted, American redstart, and many other species of warblers working their way through the trees and shrubs in search of insects. Scarlet tanagers make their appearance with males sporting a bright red body and jet-black wings. Baltimore orioles, orchard orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks can be seen working their ways through the trees. Vireos and flycatchers are also in abundance as they move in search of insects. If we are lucky, we can even see rare southern migrants that have overshot their usual ranges like Kentucky, prairie and worm-eating warblers.

Baltimore oriole

Spring migration begins to wind down during the first week of June. Shorebirds like sanderlings and ruddy turnstones still fly along the coastline; songbirds begin to slow down their migration in preparation for breeding season. You can still see cuckoos, thrushes, vireos, flycatchers and even a few late warblers moving through. Then before you know it, all migratory movement has stopped. That is until some species start migrating south in July. 

If you are interested in beginning birding and experiencing spring migration yourself, there are some tools that can be helpful. A pair of binoculars is a great tool to have when watching birds. Binoculars help to bring birds into focus and make identification easier. A good field guide is also an excellent tool to help you learn to identify birds that can be found in your area. One of the best ways to learn more about birds is to join a birding walk with a group of other birders. Lake Metroparks offers various bird walks and programs and can be a great resource for learning more about local birds. 

Black & white warbler

Migration birding can be experienced at any of the parks. Chagrin River Park, Lake Erie Bluffs, Lakeshore Reservation and Veterans Park are all considered birding hotspots and can be wonderful places to experience spring migration. So, what are you waiting for? Get outside and experience this special time for yourself!

Rose breasted grosbeak