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Birding CLUB During spring migration in the Northern Hemisphere, birds migrate north and upslope to a summer bounty of insects and other food sources that the birds use to nest and raise their next generation. At a given location such as Four Seasons, the migration begins with birds that migrate north to Four Seasons to breed. These birds are called "migrant breeders;" they arrive in March and include Bell's Vireo, Yellow Warbler, and Hooded Oriole. In April, our wintering species, such as White-crowned Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Mountain Chickadee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and many others, depart Four Seasons, just as their more northerly and higher elevation breeding grounds are starting to thaw. At the same time and continuing through May, birds that winter south of us and breed north of us sometimes rest and refuel at Four Seasons; these are "pass-through migrants." Pass-through migrants are of particular interest because they are here for only a short time and they offer the highest potential for rarities. Our first pass-through migrant of the season was a Violet-green Swallow, a Four Seasons first record, spotted on April 3 and reported in the May Breeze. The next pass-through migrants were spotted on April 12 — a Black-throated Gray Warbler on Trail A and a Nashville Warbler on Trail B. On April 24 and 25, rain and a north wind forced down northbound birds, including Western Tanagers and Black-headed Grossbeaks. On April 27, Wilson's Warblers showed up and on April 29 Warbling Vireos appeared. Thus, as of the writing of this article (May 8), the club has observed these seven pass-through migrant species at Four Seasons and there's still a few weeks to find more! On May 1, our morning group bird walk yielded a total of 18 species followed by nine additional species spotted during the day by Tina Canon, Bill and Genie Cooper, Gerrie Karczynski, Barbara Wasco, and me, bringing the total for the day to 27 species. Highlights included four begging Common Raven chicks in the nest at the east end of Trails A and B. There were two lingering winter birds, a Mountain Chickadee and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. Migrant breeders included about 10 Yellow Warblers and five Bell's Vireos that were singing on their nesting territories. We spotted only one pass-through migrant, a Western Tanager, as a south wind carried most pass-through migrants right over Four Seasons. ~ Steve Edelman, steve.h.edelman@gmail.com FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JUNE 2021 35 Left: The beautiful Western Tanager is usually the most common and conspicuous pass-through migrant at Four Seasons. Photo by Jim Livaudais, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Left: Four begging Common Raven chicks and a parent on the nest at the east end of Trails A and B. Photo by Club member Linda Miller, taken during our May 1 bird walk Above: The Black-headed Grossbeak (male left and female right) is a common and conspicuous pass- through migrant at Four Seasons and the only one that comes to feeders. Photo by Rachel Ames, National Park Service

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