(Black-Headed Grosbeak, a migrant this time of year – photographed in 2021 by Mark Wangerin)
Thanks to community naturalist Kersti Muul for the tip on this. She says we’re going into a high-migration time for birds – and you can help them by turning off or dimming your outdoor lighting. The Audubon program Lights Out is explained here – its main advice:
*Turn off exterior decorative lighting
*Extinguish pot and flood-lights
*Reduce atrium lighting wherever possible
*Turn off interior lighting especially on higher stories
*Substitute task and area lighting for workers staying late or pull window coverings
*Down-shield exterior lighting to eliminate horizontal glare and all light directed upward
*Install automatic motion sensors and controls wherever possible
*When converting to new lighting assess quality and quantity of light needed, avoiding over-lighting with newer, brighter technology
BirdCast tracks migration; here’s what happened last night – check the site tonight to see what’s happening. (Kersti also tells us that the week of October 2nd has been declared Bird-Safe Week in Seattle,)
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