Right now is one of my favorite times to watch the birds.

In fact, October is my favorite month to do just about anything.

First of all, the weather is magnificent, the aroma of green chili floats through the air, and some of the most interesting songbirds are moving through New Mexico. Fall migration is in full swing, and you can see a stunning variety of songbirds in your own backyard this month. Since many songbirds migrate at night, you can see them during the day, stocking up on food. Keep your eyes peeled and don't assume that those LBJs (little brown jobs) you see in your yard are the same old house sparrows or house finches you see every day. They could be — we have an unending supply of those two species — but you might also be seeing migrants as they pass by.

Chipping sparrows are commonly seen right now in flocks. Look for small flocks of them in amongst the grasses in open fields or parks or sometimes on the ground under your birdfeeder. These little brown sparrows are on their way south and can be identified by their little rusty cap.

Also watch for a variety of warblers as they pass through. Yellow-rumped warblers are perhaps the most common in our area this time of year, but several other varieties can also be seen. Warblers don't eat seed but will flit about shrubs and trees looking for insects. Warblers don't stick around Santa Fe in the winter but are sometimes seen as far north as Albuquerque even in the coldest months.

One species that typically has a short migration is the lesser goldfinch. These beautiful yellow birds are seen at your thistle feeders all summer but move a bit south for the winter. Santa Fe is right on the line for wintering lesser goldfinches. Customers in Albuquerque, and even Cochiti, report seeing lessers all winter, but most Santa Feans are losing them now. However, we often see an influx of American goldfinches in the colder months. These slightly larger goldfinches nest from Colorado northward and appear at our thistle feeders only in their dull yellow/olive winter plumage. The other thistle eaters, pine siskins, stick around all winter — so keep your thistle feeder out and ready.

Many of us are used to seeing spotted or canyon towhees throughout the year, but every spring and fall customers report seeing green-tailed towhees as they pass through on their way to Southern New Mexico and Mexico for the winter. Like other towhees, you can look for the green-tailed on the ground under your feeders or just picking around under leaves looking for food. Green-tailed towhees are about 7 inches long, with a rusty cap and greenish sides and tail.

Flickers are very numerous this time of year and are the only member of the woodpecker family that is commonly seen eating insects (mostly ants) from the ground. These large birds have a distinct black bib, and the male has red cheeks.

Many other migrants pass through Northern New Mexico in October. Some are in the midst of a migration thousands of miles long, and some travel only a couple of hundred miles. Some are passing through our area and some, like juncos, are coming to spend the winter. Whatever the case, keep your seed and suet feeders filled and your baths full of fresh water, and don't cut back your bushes, flowers or grasses until early spring. These plants will provide natural food and cover for songbirds all fall and winter whether they spend a day or several months.

Anne Schmauss is the co-owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Santa Fe and the co-author of the 2008 book For the Birds: A Month by Month Guide to Attracting Birds to Your Backyard. She has written for Birder's World magazine and can be heard locally on NPR. Anne and her sister Mary have a new DVD coming out later this month titled Attracting the Best and Brightest Backyard Birds.