The Joys of Visible Migration in Fall
By Adam Dudley Western Kingbird, all photos by Adam Dudley I always find the fall migration season immensely exciting. Millions of birds are on the move, heading south or arriving for the winter from the north. Many birds are nocturnal migrants with their journeys beginning an hour or so after dusk and usually finishing well before dawn, so it is impossible to witness their migratory flights. However, in recent years it has become clear that the migratory flights of some birds can be observed in the early mornings by anyone armed with a pair of binoculars. And I’m out to persuade you to give it a try! The phrase “visible migration” accounts for those days when birds are on the move in the right conditions and can be seen in daylight. The observation of bird migration during the day was pioneered by the Dutch in the 1940s, and now there are thousands of birdwatchers around the world who take great pleasure standing in one spot identifying flying birds pushing south when the weather coo
