The yellow rump of autumn.
October is a happening month for bird activity. It is fall migration! It means birds that nested in Louisiana and those that continued further north in the spring to raise a family will be coming back south. Some birds will continue migrating to Central and South America for the winter.
Around town: look in the trees for yellow-rumped warblers that always herald fall. Also, ruby-crowned kinglets and blue-grey gnatcatchers should be making an appearance. At Capitol Lake and the LSU ponds, you might see ruddy ducks, redheads, ring-necked ducks, and double-crested cormorants.
At your hummingbird feeder: You might see ‘winter’ hummingbirds, including the rufous hummingbirds, and sometimes a black-chinned hummer, if you are lucky. So yes, keep those feeders up. Some ruby-throated hummers will over-winter and stay in Louisiana and use those feeders.
Around the ricefields: White-fronted geese, snow geese, northern shovelers, gadwalls, blue-winged teal, northern pintails, and other ducks. You may also see hawks flying overhead, including red-tailed hawks and merlins.
At the coast: many varieties of warblers can be seen in the coastal oaks before heading southward.
Happy birding! Email me with questions or sightings: harriett.pooler@gmail.com.
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