New page: Guide to Birding Plummer’s Hollow

Mark has pulled together a number of useful suggestions and considerations for birders interested in visiting Plummer’s Hollow—check it out. I’ve put a link in the main menu, right under the eBird hotspot link. It’s structured as a series of FAQs, which get increasingly technical—and interesting—as they go along. I was struck by this bit towards the end:

What’s the “migrant trap” phenomenon all about?

A narrow strip of habitat on the east slope of Sapsucker Ridge, basically an ecotone of field edge, wild grape tangle, and tall woods, stretching from the top of First Field northeastward for over a mile to Dogwood Knoll, harbors the vast majority of individuals and species on the property during the year, and particularly during peak migration periods. Birds fall out here constantly while moving both north and south, attracted to available cover as well as feeding opportunities.

One of the main reasons we think that the Sapsucker Strip is so attractive to them is the presence of many towering wild black cherries, which in other forests have been systematically harvested for their valuable wood. In Plummer’s Hollow during the Labor Day peak, a single black cherry can hold 50+ transient as well as resident species at a time (no exaggeration), including birds foraging on the ripe cherries themselves, on the gnat clouds attracted to the fruit, and on other birds.

Other aspects of the migrant trap involve its location as a possible preferred staging ground (particularly August-October)—a known, dependable stopover point with not only abundant resources but also shelter and safety. Going south, forest birds likely remember and also communicate to other birds the existence of certain major “buffet” locations like Plummers’ Hollow, where they can fatten up in preparation for the long journey, just as they might at coastal locations and wetlands.

Read the rest.