As we flip the calendar to May, the Indiana Dunes longshore flight is finally warming up—literally and figuratively. With south winds returning and temperatures climbing into the upper 70s, the birds responded in kind with our first 80+ species day of the season on April 29, totaling 81 species and over 2,300 individuals observed from the tower.
Migration Momentum Building
Highlights from Tuesday’s flight included a strong early push of Eastern Kingbirds, their electric calls zapping through the breeze as they fluttered past the tower. Not to be outdone, Indigo Buntings made a solid showing, with 33 tallied as they glittered against the budding canopy—our first real pulse of this electric-blue beauty.
Warbler diversity also turned a corner, finally giving us that late-April tease of what’s to come. Over a dozen species showed up, from the high-flying Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers to less common gems like Blue-winged, Prothonotary, and Northern Waterthrush. And if you’re counting grackles (and who isn’t?), over 300 Common Grackles streamed past in messy lines, still reminding us that blackbirds own the early flight window.
Check the April Trip Report for the full 134 species seen during the month of April. What will May bring!?
Cover Photo: Eastern Kingbird by Michael Topp.
Tags: longshore flight survey Migration
