When thinking of the most exciting months for birdwatching in New England, August typically does not come to mind. April and May maybe. Perhaps September and October. But August?

On the surface, August may be one of the least exciting months for birding. Spring migration is well behind us. Fall migration still lies ahead. Nesting season, for the most part, is over. On top of all that, it’s hot, humid and sticky out.

Scratching beneath the surface unearths a different story about August. It is indeed a migration month, there are a lot of birds to see on or around water, goldfinches are plentiful, hummingbirds pay frequent visits and it’s a great month to expand beyond birding to look for butterflies, dragonflies and other similar critters.