[Tweeters] perception of spring migration

[Gary Bletsch]

Dear Tweeters,
Thanks to one and all for the interesting reports of spring migrants. Although I do remember saying to some birding friends that migration seemed a bit thin or slow, it has not seemed markedly so. I just checked my records for the first twelve days of May, covering the years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, Skagit County only. My birding effort was similar in these four years. Here is a summary from these data.
2018, 4418 birds of 132 species.
2019, 2948 birds of 121 species.
2020, 5434 birds of 144 species.
2021, 5809 birds of 129 species.
To me, these data show 2021 to be unremarkable. I can't help thinking that pandemic fatigue may be coloring everyone's perceptions of this year. I will say that there do seem to be slightly fewer neotropical migrants in my yard this spring. However, there are more Violet-green Swallows at my place than usual. In fact, they have taken over two of my birdhouses, one of which had been used previously by Tree Swallows, the other by House Sparrows.
Yours truly,
Gary Bletsch
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