Early October is a great time to observe backyard songbirds in the American Heartland. Autumn migrants such as warblers, vireos and flycatchers are still passing through on their journey to the south and most summer residents (gray catbirds, brown thrashers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, indigo buntings, Baltimore orioles, house wrens and chimney swifts, among others) have yet to depart for their wintering grounds.
Of course, permanent residents, including blue jays, northern cardinals, flickers, downy, hairy and red-bellied woodpeckers, mourning doves, tufted titmice, white-breasted nuthatches, Carolina wrens, house finches, American goldfinches and black-capped chickadees add to the variety and will soon be joined by winter residents and visitors (dark-eyed juncos, white-throated and white-crowned sparrows, fox sparrows, red-breasted nuthatches, brown creepers and yellow-bellied sapsuckers, to name a few). Finally, cedar waxwings, those colorful and polite nomads, are especially prone to visit during this glorious month.
Best of all, the cool, sunny weather of October invigorates these songbirds, making them more active and conspicuous. So too does it enhance the experience of birders, drawn outside to enjoy the pleasant weather and rewarded with a wonderful diversity of avian life.
