Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • The Wood Thrush often sings its flute-like song from deep under cover in dense woodlands.

While many migrant birds take wing in the autumn, a recent event reminded me that, in many respects, fall is the season of the thrush.

Taking part in the recent Fall Bird Count conducted by members of the Elizabethton Bird Club afforded me the opportunity to see some amazing birds, including large flocks of migrating broad-winged hawks, playful pileated woodpeckers and some often hard-to-see thrushes.

I usually feel lucky to be able to find one thrush in a single day of birding. On Saturday, Sept. 29, migration must have brought these birds out in full force, because I saw three different species — wood, gray-cheeked and Swainson’s — in the span of a few hours.

I found the Swainson’s thrush during the morning while walking the trails at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park along the Watauga River in Elizabethton, Tennessee. I flushed the bird from cover and got a good look at the bird. The Swainson’s thrush is a model of subtle beauty with a plumage that consists of warm olives and browns and a beige wash across the upper half of an otherwise white breast dotted with a faint brown spots. The beige wash extends into a prominent eye-ring.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • After striking a window, this Swainson’s thrush was given time to recover in a box in a dark, quiet place before being released to continue its migration.

I usually see more Swainson’s thrushes in autumn than spring. Named for William John Swainson, the thrush doesn’t spend the summer months in the region, but is a fairly common spring and fall migrant. The thrushes that do nest during the summer in the region include wood thrush and veery, as well as the hermit thrush, which is also a winter resident.

The namesake of the Swainson’s thrush was a famous English naturalist living in the 19th century. William Swainson, who grew up in London but spent much of his adult life in New Zealand, excelled as an English ornithologist, malacologist, conchologist, entomologist and artist. Besides the thrush, eight other species of birds are named in his honor.

Two of the other birds — Swainson’s warbler and Swainson’s hawk — are resident in the United States for at least the spring and summer months.

The other six species include Swainson’s francolin, Swainson’s sparrow, Swainson’s antcatcher, Swainson’s fire-eye, Swainson’s flycatcher and Swainson’s toucan.

Swainson never visited the United States of America, but in 1806 he accompanied the English explorer Henry Koster to Brazil in South America. Swainson and his family emigrated to New Zealand in 1841. Swainson settled near the New Zealand city of Wellington only to have earthquakes in 1848 and 1855 devastate the shoreline near his estate, which he called Hawkshead. He found the pioneer life in New Zealand difficult, especially when a native Maori chief pushed his own claims to Swainson’s estate. Swainson died of bronchitis on Dec. 6, 1855, at the age of 66.

Gray-cheeked Thrush Photo by Dave Menke/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • A gray-cheeked thrush sits tightly on its nest on Kodiak Island in Alaska. More than other members of the thrush family, the gray-cheeked thrush nests in remote regions and only passes through Tennessee and Virginia during a limited period every spring and fall.

The recent Fall Bird Count also offered me an opportunity to see a gray-cheeked thrush for the first time in almost 18 years. The species is aptly named. The gray-cheeked thrush lacks an eye ring, and its most prominent feature is the grayish plumage around the bird’s face. No evidence of brown or buff coloration intrude into the face region.

Gray-cheeked thrushes nest far from Tennessee and Virginia. In fact, they nest almost to the very edge of the tundra region in the far north. Because of this tendency to nest in remote regions, experts have had difficulty determining population trends for this species.

I know that I hadn’t seen one of these thrushes since back in 2000. I didn’t get a very good look during my recent encounter. I saw a bird fly from a tree branch into thicker cover. I relied on other members of the count party who got a better look to make the identification. The gray-cheeked thrush is not a common migrant in the region, but they do make some sporadic appearances. It’s possible they are also overlooked. Their migration actually takes place at night. The daytime observations of this bird involve individuals that have stopped for a brief respite to refuel and rest.

A shy personality contributes to the ease with which the bird can be missed even by a sharp-eyed observer. Like some of its relatives, but perhaps even more so, the gray-cheeked thrush would rather slip into concealing cover than reveal itself on an exposed perch to human observers. Both the gray-cheeked thrush and Swainson’s thrush belong to the genus Catharus, a term derived from Ancient Greek that can be described as “pure” or “clean” in reference to the plumage of some of the members of the genus.

The other two Catharus thrushes in North America include the veery, Bicknell’s thrush and hermit thrush. Some members of this genus are colorful birds with descriptive names, including the orange-billed nightingale-thrush, black-headed nightingale-thrush and slaty-backed nightingale-thrush. The incorporation of the name “nightingale” is no accident. Like the famous nightingale of folklore and fairytales, many members of the genus are remarkable singers capable of producing ethereal and flute-like songs.

In the final days of September and early days of October, wood thrushes returned to prominence in the woodlands around my home. I have wood thrushes nesting in the woods around my home every spring, but it is still always a treat to see the largest of the brown thrushes that call North America home during at least half of the year.

The wood thrush is not a member of the Catharus genus of thrushes, but instead is the sole representative of the genus Hylocichla. While not exactly a official state bird, the District of Columbia has made the wood thrush its official bird. The popularity of the wood thrush is probably helped by its own beautiful song, which has often been described as one of the most beautiful of all North America’s birds. Widespread in the United States and Canada during the summer nesting season, wood thrushes withdraw in winter to spend the cold season in southern Mexico through to Panama in Central America.

Right now, migration of thrushes is proceeding at a somewhat leisurely pace. Soon, though, most of this family of talented singers will depart the borders of the United States until next spring. When they get ready to leave, most thrushes will make a remarkable non-stop journey that will take them to the region where they will wait out the cold winter months.Enjoy them before they depart.

Photo by Jean Potter • The wood thrush is a common summer resident of woodlands in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Male American redstarts are unmistakable warblers in their vibrant orange, black and white plumage.

The parade of warblers through my yard has kicked off. I noticed the first arrivals in the final days of August. A young male American redstart in the wispy branches of a creekside weeping willow represented the first fall warbler to put in an appearance this year. He spent considerable time making his way through the tree branches in search of insect prey. Redstarts, like other species of warblers, lead a very active lifestyle, seemingly always on the go.

In the following days, other warblers joined the redstart, including a black-throated green warbler, black-and-white warbler, black-throated blue warbler and chestnut-sided warbler, as well as other migrants such as red-eyed vireo, gray catbird and blue-gray gnatcatcher. I’m still seeing ruby-throated hummingbirds contesting for access to my sugar water feeders, as well.

American redstarts are among the many neotropical migrants that return to the region each year. Redstarts nest in the region’s mountains up to an elevation of about 4,000 feet and are fairly common from spring to fall. Most American redstarts arrive each spring in late April and immediately get down to the business of raising young. I’ve seen American redstarts constructing nests as early as late April.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A young male American redstart in the branches of a willow.

The American redstart, even more so than its kin, strikes me as a hyperactive songbird, always on the go, flitting from branch to branch, fanning out its tail feathers or snatching winged insects flushed from cover. During the nesting season, the male sings a jumbled crescendo of buzzy notes.

There are 115 species of warblers found in the New World, but the American redstart is one of a handful that doesn’t include the word “warbler” in its common name. Other members of the warblers that don’t bear the word in their names include Northern parula, ovenbird, common yellowthroat, Northern waterthrush and Louisiana waterthrush.

The adult male American redstart is unmistakable. His mostly black feathers are accented with bright orange-red patches on the sides, wings and tail. There’s a patch of white on the lower belly and under the tail. For beginners who despair of learning the so-called “confusing fall warblers,” an adult male American redstart is so easily recognized that a sighting of one can produce a big confidence boost.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A female American redstart perches for a brief moment before resuming her active lifestyle.

Females show a similar pattern, being gray-olive where the males are black; females are lemony yellow where the males are orange; both have with the same white underparts. A female redstart works alone at nest construction and also does solo duty incubating up to five eggs.

In autumn and spring, there are young male American redstarts that look like an intermediate form between an adult male and adult female. Adults and young birds all flash and fan their tail feathers almost constantly. Most experts believe the flashes of color in the tail help the birds to flush prey insects into flight. According to the website, “All About Birds,” American redstarts consume more flying insects than most other warbler species. Their dietary preference for winged insects also brings them into competition with other flycatching species, such as least flycatcher.

American redstarts nest in in damp woodlands across much of the eastern and northern United States and southern Canada. This warbler becomes much more general in its habitat preferences during the winter and can be found in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Winter habitat ranges from mangrove forests and scrub thickets to plantations for coffee and citrus fruits. A few even take up residence in wooded section of urban areas.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male American redstart is easily distinguished from other warblers that nest in North America.

An occasional American redstart defies the odds and achieve a long life, for a songbird. The oldest known redstart was a male more than 10 years old. According to the website, “All About Birds,” that individual was recaptured and rereleased by a Canadian banding station.

Early French and Spanish explorers gave this pretty songbird some names to match its appearance. From the French, the American redstart received the name “paruline flamboyante,” or flamboyant warbler. The Spanish bestowed the name “candelita Norteña,” or Northern candlelight.

Two other redstarts — the painted redstart and slate-throated redstart — are tropical cousins to the American redstart. The painted redstart ranges throughout Mexico and Nicaragua, but this bird on occasion ventures into pine-oak forests in the southwestern United States. With its vibrant plumage of red, black and white, the painted redstart is just as boldly colored as the American redstart.

In addition, the American redstart has about a dozen close relatives known as the whitestarts, which hail from Central and South America. Like the American redstart, the whitestarts are birds exclusively of the New World. Some of these birds have been bestowed with descriptive names such as brown-capped whitestart, collared whitestart, spectacled whitestart, golden-fronted whitestart and yellow-crowned whitestart.

Early naturalist and artist painting this scene of a pair of active American redstarts.

Ironically, there is also a family of Old World redstarts, but these birds are closely related to thrushes, not warblers. The species in this family have been gifted with such descriptive names as white-throated redstart, blue-fronted redstart, plumbeous redstart, black redstart and white-bellied redstart.

The warblers are one of the families of birds that got me hooked on birding. They make the fall season an exciting time of the year. I’m always a little sad once the season’s ended, knowing that I won’t see many warblers until next spring. Get outdoors and enjoy migration. You may be surprised what birds visit your own yard.

For many birds, fall migration is well underway. The first hints of fall migration are being reported by area birders who have reported sightings of everything from egrets and terns to warblers and shorebirds. I got my first indication of migration on Aug. 27 when I observed an American redstart, black-throated green warbler and black-and-white warbler in my yard.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • An American redstart forages in the branches of a willow tree.

The yearly rush to return to the tropics is a true natural phenomenon among birds such as the broad-winged hawk. Hundreds if not thousands of these raptors will pass through the region at points like the abandoned fire tower on Clinch Mountain near Mendota, Virginia. Records on migrating raptors have been kept at this location since 1958. The broad-winged hawk, a raptor found in the region during the summer, makes a migration flight back to South America every fall that astonishes human onlookers who gather along mountain peaks to witness the spectacle. The hawks form large flocks, also called kettles, that can number in the thousands.

The broad-winged hawk belongs to the genus Buteo, which includes such related raptors as the red-shouldered hawk, rough-legged hawk and red-tailed hawk. In the Europe, members of this genus of hawks are often called “buzzards,” a term that came over with early settlers in North America. To this day, many people still refer to any large, soaring bird as a buzzard.

Many birds migrate out of the tropics each spring to avoid competition from numerous relatives. Others find North America a land of abundant, albeit temporary, resources. This land of plenty offers a wealth of insects, seeds, fruit and other nourishing, nutritious food to help parent birds keep their strength while they work to ensure their young thrive.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Experts have documented long-distance migration flights by the Wandering Glider, a species of dragonfly.

The phenomenon of migration isn’t exclusive to the neotropical migrants of the New World. Birds in other parts of the world migrate, too. Migration isn’t even exclusive to our fine feathered friends. Many creatures, from wildebeest and caribou to dragonflies and butterflies, impress humans with their endurance as they stage seasonal migrations.

The Arctic tern takes the practice of migration to extremes. This small seabird travels each year from its Arctic nesting grounds to the Antarctic region, where it spends the winter months. Put into terms of mileage, the Arctic tern can travel about 50,000 miles in a single year. For a bird with a body length of about 15 inches and a wingspan of about 28 inches, this incredible migration is an astonishing feat.

While its migration does not normally bring Arctic terns close to the region, some of this bird’s relatives do offer viewing opportunities for area birders during fall migration. Black terns have been making stops at ponds, rivers and lakes in the region for the past few weeks. This small terns nests on large bodies of fresh water in the interior of the United States and Canada. During the summer nesting season, adult black terns have a black head and body, but the wings are dark gray. By autumn, these terns show an almost entirely white plumage with some darker accents making them similar to other small terns such as Forster’s tern and common tern.

The ruby-throated hummingbird, a favorite of many bird enthusiasts living in the eastern United States, makes an impressive migration each year. Just to reach the United States, these tiny birds undertake a strenuous journey. They leave their wintering grounds in Central America to return to the United States and Canada for the nesting season. Most of these tiny birds, which are barely four inches long, make a non-stop flight of more than 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico. The journey can take almost an entire day!

However, the ruby-throated hummingbird is not the champion of long-distance migration among hummingbirds. That accolade goes to the rufous hummingbird, which spends the nesting season in western North America, ranging from southern Mexico to as far north as Alaska and Canada. Its migration journey of almost 4,000 miles is made in stages over the course of a few months. Like ruby-throated hummingbirds in the eastern half of North America, rufous hummingbirds require extra energy to successfully complete such a lengthy migration. They pig out on flower nectar, sugar water mixtures at feeders, and tiny insects to ensure they have the reserves to reach their destinations.

Shorebirds, which in North America can consist of birds ranging from turnstones and sandpipers to willets and avocets, are champion migrants. For instance, the bar-tailed godwit makes an impressive non-stop migratory flight. This shorebird nests in parts of Scandinavia, northern Asia and Alaska. Some of these godwits make a nine-day, non-stop migratory flight that takes them from New Zealand to the Yellow Sea of China, a distance of almost 6,000 miles. Needless to say, since the godwits make no stops along the way, they must also go without food for the duration of their journey.

Most of the warblers that nest in North America retreat to Central and South America during the winter months. Few warblers, however, make as great a journey as the blackpoll warbler. Instead of migrating over land, this five-inch-long warbler undertakes a two-stage migration. The first half of the migration is a non-stop flight of about 1,500 miles. Every fall, these tiny birds fly over the ocean during this part of their migration, departing from Canada or the northern United States and not stopping until they reach various locations in the Caribbean. There they will spend some time recovering from the exhausting first half of their journey before they continue their way to such South American countries as Colombia and Venezuela. Once again, during the time they spend flying over open ocean, these tiny warblers do not feed.

Even birds that cannot fly undertake migrations. For instance, the Adélie penguins of the Ross Sea in the Antarctic travel about 8,000-10,900 miles annually to their breeding colonies. Of course, they migrate by swimming, not flying, these long distances. The Australian emu, a smaller relative of the ostrich, makes seasonal migrations on foot to ensure access to abundant food supplies at all seasons.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Most of our favorite summer birds — scarlet tanagers, Baltimore orioles, ruby-throated hummingbirds, gray catbirds — will make an exodus in the coming weeks. Even as some of our beloved favorites depart, we can take some cheer in the knowledge they will be replaced by some welcome winter residents, including dark-eyed juncos, white-crowned sparrows, brown creepers and yellow-rumped warblers. Fall is indeed a time of departure for many birds, but it’s also a time to make new friends with the other birds that should soon start arriving in our yards and gardens by mid-October.

Keep alert to the changing of the guard. The mix of bird species in your yard will change dramatically from day to day for the next couple of months. It’s a time bound to yield some surprises.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Warblers, like this bay-breasted warbler, are experts at remaining hidden in the leaves of trees. Their energetic movements make warblers difficult to follow through binoculars. In addition, bay-breasted warblers are among those species described as “confusing fall warblers,” because their autumn appearance is a dramatic departure from the look they had in the spring.