Trip to northern New Hampshire

Mourning Warbler, East Inlet Road, Pittsburg, NH, June 25, 2010

Blackpoll Warbler, Pittsburg, NH, June 25, 2010

Boreal habitat, Pittsburg, NH

Bay-breasted Warbler, East Inlet Road, Pittsburg, NH, June 25, 2010

I made a recent trip up to Pittsburg, New Hampshire and had some great luck with tracking down the various boreal breeding warblers. Over the course of three days I managed to find a total nineteen species including the following: Nashville, Northern Parula, Yellow, Chestnut sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Yellow-rumped, Blackburnian, Palm, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Black and White, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Mourning Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and Canada Warbler. Many of these species were quite common. Although I got some great looks I was not able to get as many good photos as I had wanted. It was nice to see all these species busily carrying food to nests as they raised the next generation in the 'Great North Woods'.

Updates on some previous posts

Over the last few days I have checked on a few particular warblers I had been watching. The American Redstarts in the last few posts have fledged. I managed to find one fledgling being fed by an adult nearby. The Cerulean Warbler has not been heard by me at Quabbin Park in few weeks now. It either moved on or found a mate and has quieted down. I admit I have not been by there enough to be sure or exactly what the outcome has been. In addition I missed on finding the Cerulean that had nested for a few years at central Quabbin. Again I have not been to the area enough (due to storm downed trees). Overall the breeding season for warblers is moving right along with lots of adults carrying food or still building nests and some fledglings out and about.

Lots of breeding activity

American Redstart feeding young, Central Quabbin, June 14, 2010

Blackburian Warbler, female, collecting nest material, Central Quabbin, June 14, 2010

Made a trip into central Quabbin and had lots of breeding activity with the various species of warblers there. I returned to the nest of American Redstarts and the three young in the nest looked about ready to fledge. Both parents made nearly continuous trips to the nest feeding the young. As some warblers have already fledged young some continue to build nests including a redstart and a Pine Warbler, which must be on a second brood now. Several other species were seen carrying food to hidden nests or fledglings. Another interesting sight was the above photographed Blackburnian Warbler that was collecting webs for a nest. She was covered with spider webs! A total of fifteen species of warblers were seen or heard on central Quabbin this morning.

American Redstarts at nest

American Redstart, Central Quabbin, June 7, 2010

American Redstart, Central Quabbin, June 7, 2010

American Redstart, Central Quabbin, June 7, 2010

I first found this nest when the female was just starting to work on it. I returned to it today to find both the male a female bringing food to the nest to some very freshly hatched young. At times the female would sit back on the nest and the male would deliver food to her and she would then move to the edge of the nest and feed the young. Other times she would move away and the male would feed the young directly. While watching the activity at the nest I had a feel something was watching me and I turned to find a Bobcat standing about 40 feet away from me. More about that on my other blog.