Bird watching is a popular, year-round activity and there are certainly birding highlights for any month of the year. But, for avid birders, the span from mid April to mid May is their peak season.
In mid April, some winter birds have not yet departed for the north and many of the summer birds are beginning to arrive. By late in the month, the tide of migrants (shorebirds, warblers) is beginning to peak and most of the summer residents, including hummingbirds, have returned. Indeed, through much of the U.S., the last week in April and first week in May offer a better opportunity to see the most species in one day than any other time of the year.
As experienced birders know, early morning and the late daylight hours are the best times to observe these residents and migrants. Visiting a variety of habitats (wetlands, grasslands and woodlands) will, of course, increase the number of species that you find. In the Midwest, even novice birders should be able to identify fifty or more species in the course of a mid spring day.
