Louisiana waterthrush, early April 2020 (photo by Steve Gosser)

2 April 2026

Now that it’s early April a whole new set of birds is expected to arrive on migration. Here are three woodland birds to look for this coming week.

Louisiana waterthrushes (Parkesia motacilla), pictured at top, first arrived in southwestern Pennsylvania on Monday 30 March, basically right on time. They were reported in at least seven locations 30-31 March but eBird considers them “rare” until 1 April so all of those March sightings generated Rare Bird Alerts.

Watch for a sparrow-sized bird with bubblegum pink legs that walks along the edges of babbling creeks. While it walks it keeps its tail cocked up and bobs the back end of its body as well as its tail. Listen for its song; click here to watch it singing.

Yellow-throated warblers (Setophaga dominica) aren’t here yet but it’s only a matter of days. They were reported in Bridgeport and Elkins, West Virginia on 30-31 March. Look for them high in sycamore trees along creeks and rivers. Unlike most warblers this one stays high in the trees and walks the largest branches. It is relatively slow moving compared to an American redstart, but then redstarts are almost frantic.

Yellow-throated warbler, May 2022 (photo by Steve Gosser)

Not really new but easier to find this week, a handful of golden-crowned kinglets (Regulus satrapa) have been in southwestern Pennsylvania all winter but the first big push of migrants arrived in third week of March, around the time of the Spring Equinox. This week the Merlin app hears a golden-crowned kinglet whenever I’m out birding (I can’t hear them.)

Golden-crowned kinglet (photo by Steve Gosser)