End of month totals

Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

Pine Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 30, 2012

I finished out the month of April here by finding all nine species of warblers I had previously seen over the course of the month.  By the end of the month I managed to find a total of nine species here in western Massachusetts.  So far for the year I stand at 18 species of warbler.  This total should increase quite a bit over the next few weeks as the migrants pour north.

Eight warbler day

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Rail trail-Amherst, MA, April 29, 2012

Pine Warbler, Rail trail-Amherst, MA, April 29, 2012

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Rail trail-Amherst, MA, April 29, 2012

Had my first eight warbler day of the season.  The species included my first Yellow Warbler as well as the continuing Blackburnian, several each of Black and White and Black-throated Green, the Louisiana Waterthrush at the house plus many each of Pine, Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers.  I made trips to the rail trail in Amherst and back over to Quabbin Park.  It was a sunny but cool day.  The next few days should bring a noticeable increase in species and numbers.

Birthday warblers

Palm Warbler (yellow), Gate 9-Quabbin, April 25, 2012 

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Gate 9-Quabbin, April 25, 2012

Black and White Warbler, Gate 9-Quabbin, April 25, 2012

I took the day off from work today for my birthday and spent the morning exploring various areas around Quabbin trying to find some new warbler arrivals.  I was really hoping to find a southern warbler (Yellow-throated, Prothonotary, etc) that was carried north by the southern winds of last week and the storm over the weekend.  Despite my best efforts I had no luck finding any.  I also did not find any new species of warbler today.  However I did have six species of warbler including the Blackburnian in the same spot in Quabbin Park (present since 4/20), the Louisiana Waterthrush near the house, a few Black and White's and an increased number of Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers as well as quite a few Pine's with some carrying nest material.  The day started out at a chilly 35 and warmed up to the mid 50's before the breeze really kicked in and cooled it down a bit again.

Arizona warblers

Painted Redstart, Madera Canyon, AZ, April 13, 2012

Lucy's Warbler, Tucson, AZ, April 7, 2012

Yellow Warbler, Sweetwater Wetlands, April 10, 2012

Black throated Gray Warbler, Madera Canyon, AZ, April 12, 2012

Painted Redstart collecting nest material, Madera Canyon, AZ, April 13, 2012

Yellow-rumped Warbler -Audubon's subspecies, Sweetwater Wetlands, April 10, 2012

Townsend's Warbler, Madera Canyon, AZ, April 13, 2012

Wilson's Warbler, Florida Canyon, April 12, 2012

Black and White Warbler, Tanque Verde Wash, AZ, April 10, 2012

A quick post on the warblers I found on a recent trip out to Arizona (April 7-14).  I managed a total of a dozen species of warbler including Black and White, Orange-crowned, Lucy’s, Nashville, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Grace’s, Black-throated Gray, Townsend’s and Wilson’s Warbler plus Common Yellowthroat and Painted Redstarts.  The Black and White Warbler was new for me in Arizona (an unusual warbler for the area) and was found along Tanque Verde Wash on April 8.    The best warbler spots were along Tanque Verde wash, Madera Canyon, Patagonia Lake SP and Sweetwater Wetlands.  Some highlights included some close up views of Lucy’s Warblers and a pair of Painted Redstarts building a nest in Madera Canyon.  At the end of the trip my total number of warbler species so far for the year stood at 14.

Six species day

Despite the cool, overcast and breezy conditions today I managed a six species day with the following warblers seen or heard:  Blackburnian (in same area as previously found on April 20), Black and White, Palm, Pine, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Louisiana Waterthrush. 

Blackburnian Warbler on April 20...

Blackburnian Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 20, 2012

Blackburnian Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 20, 2012

Blackburnian Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, April 20, 2012

I ran across a male Blackburnian Warbler this morning at Quabbin Park near the entrance to Goodnough Dike.  I heard it singing over and over but it took quite a bit of time to track it down and get some marginal ID photos of it.  A very early date for this species here in Massachusetts.  Also had four other warbler species so managed five total for the day.

Louisiana Waterthrush arrives

After a recent trip to Arizona I arrived home to find the warm weather followed me here.  The temperatures reached 90 today.  The warblers continue to arrive with building numbers of Palms and Yellow-rumped as well as many Pines.  I added a fourth species this evening as a Louisiana Waterthrush is calling from the stream near the house.  Still calling as I type this at 7:15pm.  I'll update later about the warblers from Arizona.