Hurricane Dorian impacts on warblers in the Bahamas and in Nova Scotia

Bahama Warbler, Pine lands east, Grand Bahama, Feb 9, 2017

Bahama Warbler, Pine lands east, Grand Bahama, Feb 9, 2017

Olive capped Warbler, Owl Hole Rd, Grand Bahama, Feb 9, 2017

A quick update on the impact of recent Hurricane Dorian on warblers.  First the impact on the northern Bahamas (Grand Bahama and Abaco) looks to be extremely bad with descriptions from the area not giving a lot of hope for several imperiled species.  Specific warblers heavily impacted would include the Bahama Warbler (which is endemic to just Grand Bahama and Abaco), Bahama Yellowthroat (present on both above mentioned islands as well as others further south) and Olive capped Warbler (present on both Grand Bahama and Abaco in the Bahamas and a separate population in western Cuba).  The exact impact on the resident species as well as migrants that had already arrived on the islands is unknown for certain at this point but it does not look to encouraging.  If one were so inclined to assist in helping the birds impacted there you can donate to a fundraiser sponsored by Bird Caribbean at the following link.

Meanwhile well to north in Nova Scotia where the storm eventually made landfall while still at hurricane strength.  The storm brought in a large selection of southern warblers including Cerulean, Kentucky, Prothonotary, Yellow throated, Hooded, Worm eating and even a Swainson's Warbler!  Most warblers were found at Hartlan Point which is just southeast of Halifax or along the Atlantic View Trail in Three Fathoms Harbour (approx 12km east of Halifax).  Below are the numbers and locations for unusual warblers that were moved well north by the storm (totals as of today).  Sadly there were likely many more that perished after being caught up in the storm.

Cerulean Warbler : two at Hartlan Point and one at Atlantic View Trail
Kentucky Warbler:  two at Hartlan Point and one at Atlantic View Trail
Prothonotary Warbler:  one at Sambro Creek (southwest of Halifax), one at Hartlan Point and one at Atlantic View Trail
Yellow throated Warbler:   one at Hartlan Point, one in Three Fathoms Harbour and two on or near Atlantic View Trail and one on an island off coast of New Brunswick near Maine
Hooded Warbler: five at Hartlan Point, one in Halifax, at least three more about 10 km east of Halifax on the southern coast
Worm eating Warbler: three at Hartlan Point and two or three in the area of Three Fathoms Harbour
Swainson's Warbler: one at Hartland Point

I will update the numbers above as the days go on.