Yesterday, I looked out at my birdbath and saw a Scarlet Tanager.
No, I did not get a picture. By the time I grabbed the good camera, it was gone.
But that's exactly what makes fall birdwatching so much fun.
Birds are on the move right now. Some are heading south for the winter. Others are stopping for a day, an hour, or maybe just long enough for a drink before continuing on. Meanwhile, the birds that stay with us are getting busier too.
At my feeder station this week, I've watched a Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadees, and American Goldfinches all coming and going.
If your feeders seemed a little quiet during the heat of summer, start watching again. Fall activity is picking up.
And don't only watch the feeder. Here are five things you can do right now that might help you catch some of the best bird activity of the season.
1. Find out what flew over your house while you were sleeping
This one is fascinating if you've never tried it.
Most bird migration happens at night. On a good migration night, enormous numbers of birds can move overhead while we're inside, sound asleep.
Before you head outside in the morning, check BirdCast's Migration Dashboard. Enter your county, and you can see estimates of how many birds crossed the area overnight, along with their direction, speed, and altitude.
If BirdCast shows a big migration night over your area, go look outside.
Those birds have to come down somewhere to rest and refuel, and some of them may be in your neighborhood.
2. Pay attention to the weather, especially cold fronts
Your weather forecast can also become a birdwatching forecast.
Migrating birds pay attention to weather and winds, and favorable conditions can trigger big movements. In fall, cold fronts and winds from the north or northwest can produce particularly active migration nights, which can mean a much more interesting morning for birdwatchers.
So when a front comes through and you wake up to one of those noticeably cooler fall mornings, give the backyard an extra look before getting on with your day.
The birds you see that morning may not have been there yesterday.
3. Follow the chickadees and titmice
Here's a trick I wish more backyard birdwatchers knew.
If you suddenly see or hear chickadees and titmice moving through the trees together, stop what you're doing and watch them for a few minutes.
During migration, other birds can join these loose feeding groups. Warblers, vireos, kinglets, nuthatches and woodpeckers may all turn up around them.
In other words, that familiar chickadee you've seen a thousand times might lead you straight to a bird you've never seen before. Cornell Lab specifically recommends watching chickadee flocks during migration because they can alert birders to other songbirds moving through.
Don't just identify the first bird and walk away. Look at everybody in the group.
4. Check the birdbath before you check the feeder
My Scarlet Tanager was a good reminder of this one.
Plenty of migrating birds will never eat a single sunflower seed from your feeder.
They still need water.
A clean birdbath can bring birds down where you can actually see them, including migrants that might otherwise stay up in the trees or pass through your yard unnoticed. Water is especially important during spring and fall migration.
Keep the water fresh, and then actually check the birdbath throughout the day. If keeping it clean is a constant battle, our Pure Copper Bird Bath Disc is an easy, chemical-free way to help slow algae growth and keep your birdbath cleaner between water changes.
There may be someone there you've never seen in your backyard before.
5. Find the berries
If you're only looking at your bird feeder, you may be watching the wrong restaurant.
Fall fruit can be an important source of energy for migrating birds, and native fruiting plants can become incredibly busy stopover spots. Research has found migrating songbirds actively seeking native fruits during fall migration.
Look around your yard and neighborhood for plants loaded with berries or fruit. Depending on where you live, that might include dogwood, beautyberry, elderberry, serviceberry, pokeweed or Virginia creeper.
Then watch.
Thrushes, catbirds, tanagers, grosbeaks and other birds that aren't necessarily interested in your birdseed may be having a feast just a few yards away.
And don't forget who's already at the feeder
While I'm keeping an eye out for unexpected migrants, I'm loving what's happening at my feeder station too.
The cardinals, chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers, nuthatches and finches are exactly the birds I had in mind for our Fall Select Birdseed Blend.
It's a special fall mix packed with seeds, nuts and mealworms, and right now you can buy 3 bags and save 15% with code FALL15.
Fall migration doesn't last forever.
So check BirdCast. Watch the weather. Follow the chickadees. Keep an eye on the birdbath. Look for the berries.
And most importantly, keep looking outside.
Because you really never know who might show up tomorrow.