FALL MIGRANTS FROM OUR DECK

     In the last few years, from early September to early November, I have been watching for a variety of migrating birds and insects from our back deck in New Holland, Pennsylvania.  Our deck is not a good place to look for fall migrants, but it is as good as any other spot in a lowland suburb.  Migrants could be anywhere, and they are exciting to see, wherever they may be.  

     I don't watch every day and I only look for migrants a couple of hours in the afternoons when I am on the deck.  But I've seen some interesting birds and insects during the limited times I'm "on duty". 

     I have seen a few each of bald eagles and ospreys migrating over our deck to the southwest, and a variety of hawks as well.  I have seen a few sharp-shinned hawks rocketing over, and a few merlins, all of which zipped by individually.  One of the merlins perched on top of our spruce tree, before continuing on.  During a couple of Septembers, I saw little groups of broad-winged hawks circling over our neighborhood, peeling off to the southwest and gone.

     During west and northwest winds, most hawks soar along the southwest-running Appalachian Mountains, because the wind pushing up the mountains keeps them aloft.  But during other winds, the hawks scatter, and then I might see some from our deck.  

      All these raptors are more easily seen before large, white and gray cumulus clouds.  One can identify them by their silhouetted shapes, size and manner of flying or soaring.          

     One year, a peregrine falcon perched on the same spruce tree as the merlin did, presumably to rest before continuing its migration.  That peregrine, perched at home, was particularly exciting.    

     I also see other kinds of migrating birds, besides hawks, while watching for migrants at home on our deck.  Every September, I see a few ruby-throated hummingbirds flashing by on their way to northern South America to escape the northern winter.  Every autumn, I see some turkey vultures soaring high and southwest, which makes me think they are migrants.  One October, I saw a few high black vultures sailing southwest.  In October, I have noticed an occasional stream of blue jays passing over to the southwest.  And I have seen gatherings of chimney swifts swirling and circling to catch tiny insects on the wing as they drift southwest.  Once, in September, I saw a few nighthawks swirling over as they, too, were snaring flying insects as they moved along on long, swept-back wings.  Occasionally in October, I spot a high, V-shaped flock of Canada geese that left Canada and are going to the Chesapeake Bay for the winter.    

     One time I saw two large, black birds approaching the deck.  At first I thought they were vultures, but when they suddenly soared higher and overhead, I saw they were ravens heading south.  We don't usually have ravens around here.      

     Every fall, I see several beautiful, fluttering monarch butterflies and a few zooming green darner dragonflies heading southwest from our deck.  The striking monarchs are going to forested mountains in Mexico.    

     I also see a few small, migrating birds in our trees and shrubbery from our deck.  I've noted an occasional yellow-rumped, common yellowthroat and chestnut-sided warbler, and once a small invasion of red-breasted nuthatches among the cones of our spruce to eat their seeds.  White-throated sparrows and dark-eyed juncos are in our yard because of the sheltering shrubbery and spruce, and the neighbor's bird feeders.      

     When I am on the deck to look for autumn migrants, I see several kinds of interesting, local creatures, and beauties of fall, which help while away the time until migrants show up.  A flock of house sparrows are in our neighborhood because of a neighbor's bird feeders.  Sometimes, I see a few each of attractive mourning doves and blue jays flying in and out of that tall, elegant Norway spruce in our yard.  A few each of gray squirrels and cottontail rabbits forage for food late in the afternoons.  I see pretty skipper butterflies and other kinds of intriguing insects landing on our flowers on the deck to sip their nectar.  And I notice an occasional, stately red-tailed hawk, and a streamlined Cooper's hawk, taking turns respectively soaring or zipping over our lawn as they search for squirrels or doves to catch and consume.

     As autumn progresses in our neighborhood, I see a big red maple tree's leaves turn red and half the needles on a majestic white pine tree die, turn yellow-brown and fall from the tree, carpeting the ground below.  Our red bud's foliage turns yellow and the leaves on our crepe myrtle become red.      

     Berries on our pyracantha bush become bright orange and those on a beautyberry shrub become light purple, adding more color to our lawn.  Those berries, incidentally, already attracted a couple of northern mockingbirds who will ingest many of them.

     Anyone interested in doing so can see migrants from almost any plot of land.  Just get out at the right time with binoculars and scan the skies.