Brant migrating north

[peter lowe]

I heard several flocks of brant migrating North Saturday night, flying over my house in the Catskills. Hopefully they have a good breeding season.

 

[J. Overland]

Have you ever seen them land anywhere in the Catskills? I live here as well and have never seen them on any of the smaller waters. Last year some hikers found a brant way up in the woods on Westkill Mountain. Apparently it got lost/stranded for some reason. It survived a day or two and then was captured and given to a local wildlife rehabilitator I believe.

 

[george w]

Surprisingly, they are one of the last to head north. May they find things in good order.

 

[Bill Abbate]

I see a bunch of them every day feeding on the East River at low tide. They're beautiful birds. Non-hunters routinely mistake them for geese.

 

[Scott Farris]

Bill, Not to be an arse, but brant are geese. [whistle]

 

[gcs]

Still have some here on LI, usually stick around to the end of May

 

[Steve Sanford]

Peter et al~


Yup, those Brant are right on schedule. They are the last waterfowl to leave Long Island - because they are headed way up north.


Brant are Arctic breeders and nest as far north as any species of bird. As a result, they cannot arrive on their nesting grounds until last winter's ice and snow are gone. They nest in early June on numerous large islands in the eastern Arctic.


All the best,


SJS

 

[peter lowe]

Yes I know that there nesting success depends greatly on the weather they encounter on the breeding grounds. I'm hoping the burgeoning snow goose populations doesn't start to impact them.

 

[Kevin B]

We had a flock in the canoe area this past week northern Adirondacks. First for me

 

[John Fraser]

I just saw your post. I heard brant flying over at 4:30 am on May 17 as I was headed out to turkey hunt. While I've seen them passing through Central NY in October/November, this was the first encounter I've had with them in the spring.