2026 Spring Migratory Bird Count Results

We are excited to share the results of this year’s Spring 2026 Migratory Bird Count. Despite overnight storms and a dense fog advisory on Sunday morning, this year’s count turned out to be a fantastic day for birding on Fishers Island! With the help of our wonderful volunteers, we recorded a total of 66 bird species by sight or sound during the official count!

Some especially exciting highlights included 10 species of warblers, including American redstart, blue-winged warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, Nashville warbler, northern parula, yellow warbler, ovenbird, wood thrush, and yellow-rumped warbler. We also recorded four species of swallows: bank swallow, barn swallow, northern rough-winged swallow, and tree swallow, all welcome signs that spring migration is in full swing on the island.

A few species that are normally observed during the spring count, including seabirds, egrets, and herons, were notably absent from the official tally. However, participants suspect the dense fog likely reduced visibility and detectability rather than reflecting a true absence on the island.

In addition to the official count, we also kept a “running list” throughout the weekend, bringing the unofficial total to an impressive 75 species! These strong numbers continue to highlight our island as an important stopover habitat for migratory birds along the Atlantic Flyway.

One of the best parts of this year’s event was the community effort behind it. This marked the 13th year of the bird count, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who participated, helped identify species, shared recordings, and kept spirits high throughout the day. Special thanks to Allison Sargent for serving as scribe, Tyler McMahon and Dr. Adam Mitchell for leading the count, and to all of the volunteers who made the weekend such a success.