MAGIC MIGRATION TRAPS

San Francisco, California, September 2024

Both spring and fall migration offer a bonanza of rare species, otherwise hard to find locally. Often these migrating birds take quick pit stops during their journey to rest and refuel, much like human travelers stopping by at roadside inns and motels. During these migrations, there are some magical trees that have just the right location (near a water source such as a creek, for example) and the right resources such as nectar, fruit and small insects to feed on. To birders' delight, these trees act like migrant traps and end up attracting a wide variety of migrating birds. A single tree could easily see 20-50 species in a single season. One such tree in San Francisco this year has been on fire. It is a Flowering Gum (Corymbia ficifolia) that has attracted a variety of warblers as well as this Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope). Check out my eBird checklist for the other species that this tree attracted including several migrating warbler species as well as local residents. What is your favorite magic tree?