Birds to Look For?

It's always interesting to use continent-wide factors to predict trends in migration.  This year, the biggest factor affecting migration through/to Louisiana (or at least our predictions) seems to be the drought in Texas and western Louisiana.  The link between the drought and the presence of certain birds is pure conjecture, but as many predicted, there's been an eastward shift for some western species that normally winter no closer than Texas.

Spotted and Green-tailed towhees and Say's Phoebes have been the most visible representatives of this eastward shift so far, but there's no telling what may still be lurking out there.  No birds that are completely new for the state have shown up yet, but second state records of both Brewer's Sparrow and Gray Flycatcher have been documented.  It'll be fun to see what turns up in the months ahead, but for now I'll think aloud about birds we might be looking for.














The drought has reached extreme proportions over most of Texas, and much of Oklahoma and New Mexico.  That area is huge, and includes the wintering grounds of many species.  Longshots from the west such as Lewis's Woodpecker and longshots from the south like Pyrrhuloxia and Clay-colored Thrush are birds that the hopeful might keep an eye out for.  Other species like Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Baird's Sparrow, and Lark Bunting that have made it here before may make it again.  And of course, waterbirds may have a hard time finding water out west.  Maybe a Least Grebe, Masked Duck, or Green Kingfisher will come our way.

Winter is always a fun time to think big...    

Good luck!