Best month

[gary jb]

what is the best month to watch for migrants.is it spring or is it autum.is there more birds passing through in either season or are they both the same.which do you prefere and why.......
Gary..........

[Andrew Whitehouse]

A lot depends on what sort of migrants you're looking for and where you are. Having said that, I would say that generally autumn is better for most species for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because of all the young birds, there are more birds on the move. Secondly, autumn is often a much longer season than spring. Waders start moving south in late May and there are still plenty of birds on the move in the middle of November. Also, because birds aren't rushing to get to breeding sites, they often seem to stick around for a bit longer fattening themselves for a long southward migration. Ultimately, the most important factors in being successful at migrant watching are to be at the right place in the right weather conditions.

[Michael Frankis]

Adding to Andrew's points, also you're more likely to get unusual birds in autumn, as juveniles are less experienced at migrating, so are more likely to take a wrong turning and end up somewhere where you wouldn't expect them to be.

Spring has the advantage that you often get singing males in full breeding plumage, so they look & sound nicer.

Michael

[Ranger James]

Sorry - I thought this thread said best moth, in which case I would have said Swallow tail.
James