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Spring Migration is Here!

by Scarlet Colley - April 1999

As Winter Texans head to their Northern homes, they are not alone. Our many feathered friends are not far behind. The birds that wintered here with us and were fed by the Laguna Madre Bay are taking flight, white pelicans, cormorants, the common loon, American avocet, osprey, and so many more. The birds that wintered further south, migrating on the fall north winds into Mexico, are now beginning to return on the spring southern winds

Blue-Winged Warbler

South Padre Island will host many of these birds as they stop to rest from their arduous journey across the Gulf of Mexico. It is our beautiful island with its wooded lots, that these exhausted birds seek out.

Just as we host our Spring Breakers, we can all host our migrant feathered friends. They will require a safe place to rest, (preferably a wooded area or a garden) food, and water. Water can be provided by a drip fountain, and food can be seeds or fruit. Leaving empty lots unmowed for the next couple of weeks will also provide natural food supplies and shelter.

Unfortunately, the beautiful little migratory songbirds are met by a formidable predator on South Padre Island, cats. Every cat owner on the island and in the Laguna Madre area could help this year by putting bells on their cats for the next few weeks of migration and keeping cats indoors during the Northers (when north winds blow), keep birds grounded until the southern winds return. Reporting stray cats to the city will not only help the songbirds, but will also keep house cats safe.

Painted Bunting

The most strategic time for helping the migration is through April and early May. Watch for hummingbirds, warblers, orioles, flycatchers, vireos, and buntings. The list goes on and on. The hot spots for bird sightings on the island will be any wooded lot, garden, or the warbler rest stop, planted by Will and Gill carter at the SPI Convention Centre will be a resort to any tired bird seeking food and shelter. Some locals have turned their backyards into bird havens, such as Barbara Kennitt, who provides water gardens and native plants for shelter. The Brown Pelican Bed and Breakfast put in gardens and water around their inn. The county and city are also protecting areas that are important to the bird migration thanks to the concerted efforts of our Mayor and new park director. Many people have become involved in efforts to ensure the safe return of these birds to their nesting homes so their species will continue to prosper.

For any questions about the spring bird migration, you can call 739-BIRD. Calling this number will also allow you to acquire a complete list of migratory birds. Watch for the hooded warbler, Nashville warbler, Tennessee warbler, Vermilion flycatcher, swallowtail kits, and indigo buntings, all have been sighted recently.

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