In the autumn season when we see flocks of birds overhead, we know that cold weather is coming.  The annual migration does not mean that all birds are leaving the Pacific Northwest which is known for its mild winters.  Some birds, including some kingfishers and even hummingbirds, will stay through the seasons of autumn and winter.

There are a lot of great ways to follow bird activity all year round via local resources such as the Seattle Audubon Society, with its office at 8050 35th Ave NE in the Wedgwood neighborhood of northeast Seattle.  Seattle Audubon birdwatching, photography and sketching classes are led by neighborhood residents, including photographer Joe Sweeney and sketcher Carleen Zimmerman.

Another fun way to follow the birds (while staying warm and cozy indoors!) is via on-line tracking sites.

National birding websites include regional info and you can track your favorite species of birds, such as a article on All About Birds called “Where Can I Go to Watch Hawk Migration?”

BirdNote, a daily bird-info site which has contributing writers from the Wedgwood neighborhood, tells about the behavior and typical migration patterns of different species, such as this article about Purple Martins (a swallow) on their journey to Brazil.

Are you interested in the migration patterns of eagles, hummingbirds, monarch butterflies or even frogs and whales ????  There is a migration tracking page for each, on the website of Journey North.   The Journey North page includes information on sunlight and seasons of migration, and other weather phenomenon which affect migration.

Watching the migrations of birds and butterflies heightens our appreciation of all of God’s creatures and the seasonal changes which are the rhythm of our lives on Planet Earth.

Robins feasting on fruit