AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – As the days start to get cooler birds make their way from the north to the south, passing Massachusetts along the way.
The mass migration of birds towards warmer weather happens around the end of summer and beginning of fall. Some bird species such as the common night hawk were reported in early August. Patti Steinman with The Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary described the current state of migration season.
“Right now we’re in the middle of hawk migration season. So this is a great time for naturalists and many people to observe these large birds,” said Steinman.
Recent weather may have an impact on which birds pass through the Bay State. Warmer weather and southern winds make it harder for birds to migrate to the lower half of the U.S. . One environmental factor that has helped recently is the lack of rain.
“Sometimes storms can actually throw them off course so that sometimes when we see these very different birds, birds that we usually don’t see in our area sometimes can be found in western Massachusetts,” said Steinman, Senior Naturalist at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary.