tic toc tic toc tic toc… it’s almost time! I was watching the radar last night and noticed a diffuse but apparent movement of birds over north Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina… while we’re still over a month away from any substantial movements, my radar finger is twitching and Zugunruhe is setting in. My buddy Mike Mills is working overtime getting the new and improved radar downloading program working perfect, as it should be fully functional by March.
In the meantime please feel free to post any migration observations to this site, so we know when things become apparent on the ground.
Good Birding
David
Badbirdz Reloaded 
Hi David,
We have been birding almost everyday down here in sunny Miami and the migration trend has not yet started to be apparent yet. We have however seen some early birds like a Northern Waterthrush at AD Barnes, some B&W Warblers, Black-throated Blue, American Redstarts. At the Cape some FOS Indigo Bunting and Worm-eating Warbler have showed up, at ENP Swallow-tailed Kite have been recently showing up in good numbers, a Glaucous Gull in Key West maybe blown in while moving. A pair of Brants yes Brants at Card Sound Road Bridge. A report of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was reported out of Alva a little west of FT. Myers along with the Lazuli Bunting. Soon there will be so many birds migrating that the radar will be full of movement or at least we can all hope. LOL
By: Angel & Mariel on March 5, 2008 @ 11:31 pm
at 11:31 pm
Do I see a pretty good wave coming up from Cuba on the Key West Rader this evening?
By: Ken Schneider on March 6, 2008 @ 10:41 pm
at 10:41 pm
We are seeing signs of Migration down here in the Keys. Purple
Martins starting to pass through and Swallow tail Kites heading north last week or so. Our wintering gulls are slowly moving out and a few warblers starting to arrive back to feed before heading north. Radar definitly showing birds past week or so
By: katie lyons on March 13, 2008 @ 8:12 am
at 8:12 am
Again this evening, looks like northbound departures from Cuba and the Keys– see tonight’s Rosyfinch Ramblings blog for graphic. What do you think?
By: Ken Schneider on March 14, 2008 @ 10:49 pm
at 10:49 pm
[…] Texas are keeping him busy and he cannot provide me with guidance in interpreting this loop. Check BADBIRDZ (Florida Migration Radar link at the left of this […]
By: Rosyfinch Ramblings on March 14, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
at 10:52 pm
YES! You ARE seeing migration. I checked the radar for Key West last week from here in New Zealand, and there were signs of both movement across the Florida Straits and birds moving north out of the southern US. Unfortunately I have very limited internet access until March 25th- but after that I’ll be posting nightly. Keep an eye on the radar, and an ear to the sky!
Good Birding
David
By: woodcreeper on March 16, 2008 @ 4:49 pm
at 4:49 pm
Thanks for the confirmation, David.
I will keep an eye and (bad) ear out, and also look forward to observing the full moon next week. Now, if I can master the art of copying archived loops I might not have to stay up late to make live captures from the screen!
Ken
By: Ken Schneider on March 16, 2008 @ 10:10 pm
at 10:10 pm
Here in St. Petersburg, FL we’ve been watching the Palm, Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers leaving almost every night for the past few weeks. Most of our wintering birds have headed north but we’ve been seeing a few Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos as well as Great-crested Flycatchers and various Swallows. Many of the birds are coming into high color much earlier than i remember and I’ve been fortunate to hear Yellow-rumped and Yellow-throated Warblers singing for the first time in the past week. In addition the Northern Parulas, Pine Warblers and even Palm Warblers have been singing.
By: Don Margeson on March 17, 2008 @ 12:52 pm
at 12:52 pm
Pepe — Will you please send us a photo of your Zugunruhe inked footprints? Brisk breeze (27 kts at Fowey) keeping me indoors but I’m eager to start some ground truthing here on Key Biscayne.
By: Robin on March 19, 2008 @ 11:18 am
at 11:18 am
Bonnie and I are able to ground truth some of Ken’s radar observations from last night (3/22) with a pulse of warblers in Bill Baggs Cape Florida SP this morning. Prairies were most numerous, with quite a few parulas and singing Ovenbirds. There were also some Cape Mays, Common Yellowthroats, Black-and-whites and 1 Yellow Warbler. Non-warbler migrants were: 2 Merlins, Green Heron and Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Interestingly, bird numbers increased ~9:30 AM, leading me to believe that some birds were coming in off the water well after sunrise. This is a common occurrence in Cape Florida during migration.
By: Robin & Bonnie on March 23, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
at 1:54 pm