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October Migrants - Look Who's Back!

Autumn brings new birds!
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Lincoln's Sparrow
© Gregg Thompson

In the October sunlight, a Lincoln's Sparrow – like this one – sings energetically from a hedgerow. Soon a Fox Sparrow chimes in. Both nested in Alaska last summer but will spend the winter farther south. The Snow Geese are moving, too. A massive movement of birds takes place in the fall. The exodus of summer visitors to the tropics has given way to a surge from the north. And predators can't be far behind.

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BirdNote®

October Migrants—Look Who’s Back!

Written by Bob Sundstrom
 
This is BirdNote.

[Lincoln’s Sparrow song]      

The birds’ voices declare, in no uncertain terms, that autumn is once again upon us. In the golden sunlight of an October morning, a Lincoln’s Sparrow sings energetically from a hedgerow [Lincoln’s Sparrow song], and soon a Fox Sparrow chimes in [Fox Sparrow song].

Both nested at higher latitudes or well up in the mountains last summer, but will spend September to May at lower latitudes or elevation.

In October, massive movements of birds take place across the continent. The exodus of summer visitors to the tropics has given way to a surge from the north. The brambles twitch with sparrows [Call of Song Sparrow], blackbirds flock by the thousands. Bays and lakes sparkle with waterbirds — loons, grebes, dabbling and diving ducks. [Chatter of Mallards] Many of them nested well to the north, on tundra ponds.

The sandpipers called Dunlins now swarm south, to winter along both coasts, by the many thousands. [Dunlin flock calls]

Close behind are the predators—northern-nesting Merlins, Peregrines, and Sharp-shinned Hawks, following south their winged prey. [Loud Dunlin flock calls]
 
I’m Michael Stein.

We have an all-new website! Check out BirdNote.org where you can find past shows, photos, videos, and more.
###

Bird audio provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Sooty Fox Sparrow recorded by L.J. Peyton. Dunlin recorded by W.W.H. Gunn. Call of Song Sparrow by G.A. Keller. Chatter of Mallards by A.A. Allen.
Lincoln's Sparrow recorded by Martyn Stewart, naturesound.org
BirdNote’s theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Chris Peterson
© 2015 Tune In to Nature.org   October 2014/2017   Narrator: Michael Stein

ID#101606return2KPLU      autumn-02b

Bob Sundstrom
Writer
Michael Stein
Narrator
Gregg Thompson
Photographer
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Tagsmigration shorebird vocalization

Related Resources

Lincoln's Sparrow – More at the Audubon Guide to North American BirdsLincoln's Sparrow - More at All About BirdsFox Sparrow – More at the Audubon Guide to North American BirdsFox Sparrow - More at All About BirdsDunlin – More at the Audubon Guide to North American BirdsSnow Geese - More at All About Birds

More About These Birds

Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)

Melospiza lincolnii

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

Calidris alpina

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

Passerella iliaca

Sights & Sounds

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