05/18/2026
Spring migration is peaking right now over Douglas Manor.
Billions of birds are moving up the Atlantic Flyway and our neighborhood sits directly under it. This is both the best time to observe species we rarely get the chance to see other times of the year, and simultaneously the most important time to take precautions and help protect them on their journey further up north or even just to settle around here.
Great Egrets are back from their winter in the Caribbean, stalking the salt marshes at Udalls Cove. Ospreys are nesting along the bay. Red-winged Blackbirds are back with their iconic singing.
During this particular week in the middle of May, tanagers, orioles, grosbeaks and most common of all, warblers like the Common Yellowthroat pictured above, who unfortunately passed away after a presumptive window collision, are passing through on their way to breeding grounds further north.
Window collisions kill an estimated 365 million to 1 billion birds in the US every year as the second-leading human cause of bird death after cats. Migrants are especially vulnerable because they fly at night, get disoriented by lit buildings, and crash into reflective glass at dawn while looking for food. If you can and it is not too inconvenient for you please:
Turn off non-essential outdoor and indoor lights from 11 PM to 6 AM during migration (now through early June, and again in September to October) or close blinds and curtains at night. Window decals or dot patterns on large glass surfaces also go a long way.
On a lighter note, for bird observers here in the Manor, the best time to look for migratory birds in decent visibility is sunrise to around 10am. A helpful tool that some of our DMEA members use is the Merlin Bird ID app.
Finally, keep an eye out for more updates on the bird survey being conducted throughout Douglas Manor in collaboration with one of our Big Rock partners, NYC Bird Alliance. We're hoping to observe avian population trends throughout areas in the Manor before, during and after the Big Rock project is concluded.
Happy birding!
