Migration is starting to pick up and the Biggest Week in American Birding will be here before you know it. One reminder I always like to make before the festival is to follow @BiggestWeek on Twitter where you will be updated with information about the festival and event reminders – but most of all you will receive LIVE sightings from the Biggest Week guides in the field. And even better, you can have the tweets sent right to your phone so that you can get notified instantly. I wrote a blog two years ago on how to set this up and have been keeping it up-to-date any time Twitter changes. Click here to find out how to have the tweets sent right to your phone.
Many of the tweets will come right from the boardwalk. You may find yourself going from one end to the other when a good bird is spotted. I know we did!
Kentucky Warbler on ground just inside west entrance! – LeicaJeff
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 10, 2014
Prothonotary, Blackburnian, Black-throated, Bay-breasted, Parula, Chestnut-sided and Scarlet Tanager at tower West end Gabriel / Wildside NT
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 10, 2014
Golden-winged Warbler at tower – Gabriel / Wildside NT
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 11, 2014
Henslow’s Sparrow is back out and walking around on the south side of the boardwalk # 19B – Raymond/BRANTTours
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 13, 2014
We turned around from one tweet chase to see this Henslow’s Sparrow
The tweets won’t only come from the boardwalk. Guides will tweet from all over the area.
50 Am Golden-Plovers still in the field behind the Happy Hooker. Chris W, Swallowtail Tours
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 9, 2014
Upland Sandpiper, Lapland Longspur and more present along Krause Road. – Ethan Kistler/Birding Africa
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 12, 2014
Dickcissel along Girdham just south of Reed in Oak Openings. Chris W, Swallowtail Tours
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 12, 2014
Red-necked Phalarope spinning at Pearson Park Wetland complex. Look from picnic table between cabins-Lpeyton
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 14, 2014
We chased the Red-necked Phalarope and got great looks
I was with Chris for the Dickcissel!
Last year, we had the tweets turned on while we were driving from eastern Pennsylvania to Ohio. A couple of very interesting tweets came through:
NINE Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks in grass across from McDonald’s by Pipe Creek. Sulphur Creek Estuary. -Andy Jones pic.twitter.com/wp9dHaYZAH
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 11, 2014
Least Bittern and White-faced Ibis currently being seen at Metzger Marsh. – Rob Ripma
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 11, 2014
Pipe Creek was a little out of our way, so we opted to stop at Metzgar Marsh on arrival. We were rewarded with three White-faced Ibises – a lifer for my friends and I.
White-faced Ibises at Metzgar Marsh
We ended up seeing those Whistling Ducks the next day anyway…
8 Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks at Pearson Metropark North unit by the gazebo overlook. – Steve Ritt / Wildside
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 12, 2014
These Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were way out of range.
Have I convinced you to follow @BiggestWeek yet? If not, just remember – you never know when that one special bird will show up…
Male Kirtland’s Warbler still showing about 0.1 mile north of banding station in Jones Preserve at Long Point on Kelleys Island. Ok 2 chase
— Biggest Week (@BiggestWeek) May 13, 2014
Just for more reference, here are the tweets that got us some great birds the prior year.