I spent the last week of April in southeast Texas seeing one of the great wonders of our natural world. Every spring billions of songbirds migrate north from South and Central America through the Yucatán Peninsula and fly over the Gulf of Mexico landing generally on the southeast coast of Texas around Galveston. This is literally a river of birds flying from 500 – 1500 feet in the air from dusk to dawn this time of year.
The cool thing about southeast Texas in the spring is that the birds are truly on the move. You can visit a natural area one morning and on the next morning there is a totally different mix of birds or no birds at all. The songbird flight from Yucatán to Galveston takes between 12 – 16 hours depending on weather. Experienced local birders know intimately the weather patterns that speed or slow migration, and when they might “fall out” or prematurely drop out of a migration flight. One young birder coached us “if you see rain, head for the trees.”
One of the highlights of the trip was experiencing a Black Rail. Early in our stroll through the marsh trails of Galveston Island State Park we heard the sharp “ki-ki-kerrrr” which we recognized instantly from our research. Our silent high fives and muted celebration drew other birders. Some heard the call, but most didn’t. The Black Rail – known as “mouse of the marsh” – is not only incredibly elusive but also severely endangered due to sea level rise.
The other highlight of the trip, and of birdwatching generally, is the people. Folks from all over the world with widely varying backgrounds gather at birding hotspots to chase rarities or big year lists or life list species. There is definitely an archetype – retired and khaki clad with a flop hat for sun protection and binoculars, although you also see young hotshot birders moving quickly through the forest. In almost all cases the birders we meet are kind, patient, and eager to share a sighting or tip with beginners. We call it sharing “Nerd Knowledge” or “NK” for short and it is a key feature of birders everywhere.
May is prime time for the migration here on Delmarva. Warblers and tanagers and orioles and vireos are flying at night and feeding in our tree tops during the day. Grab your binoculars and get outside and enjoy the spectacle. Check out BirdCast – Bird migration forecasts in real-time to see daily migration maps and which birds are coming through your neighborhood. Also download the Merlin app – Merlin Bird ID – Free, instant bird identification help and guide for thousands of birds – Identify the birds you see – which can tell beginners which species you are hearing. And most of all, cozy up next to a khaki crowd in the forest and feast on some Nerd Knowledge. Enjoy!
Rob Etgen retired in 2021 after a 40 year career in conservation – the last 31 years as President of Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. In retirement Rob is enjoying family and working on global and local sustainability issues with Council Fire consulting out of Annapolis.
