More mixed flocks as we near the end of August

Black and White Warbler, Robbins Rd, Ware, MA, Aug 24, 2020

Ovenbird, Robbins Rd, Ware, MA, Aug 24, 2020

Prairie Warbler, Robbins Rd, Ware, MA, Aug 24, 2020

Common Yellowthroat, Robbins Rd, Ware, MA, Aug 24, 2020

Warbler migration is starting to pick up a bit as we enter in toward the end of August.  Mixed species flocks are becoming more common as breeding is complete and birds start wandering a bit.  Nothing too unusual for the last few days but a decent selection of species.  It will only get busier from here on through September.

American Redstart, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 20, 2020

A check of the camera at the water feature found a nice capture of an American Redstart.

Blue winged Warbler finally shows up in the yard!

Blue winged Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 8, 2020

Blue winged Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 8, 2020

Around midday today I finally managed to find a Blue winged Warbler in the yard after looking for one for the roughly 15 years we have lived here.  I was doing some work around the yard and noticed a small mixed flock moving through so I grabbed some binoculars and the third bird I looked at was a Blue winged Warbler.  I quickly made it back into the house and grabbed my camera and thankfully the bird was somewhat cooperative and hung around long enough for me to at least get some record shots in bad light.  This is the last common warbler species around the area that I had not yet tracked down in the yard despite a lot of looking.  In fact I have had several rarer warblers in the yard before I finally found a Blue winged Warbler.  Among the rarer warblers that the yard has produced include two Orange crowned Warblers, a Connecticut Warbler, two Mourning Warblers and rarest of all, a Kentucky Warbler.  I have now had a very impressive (in my book anyway) 29 species of warblers on our two acres of land...amazing what you can find if you look and have a decent selection of habitat diversity.

Canada Warbler, Pelham, MA, Aug 8, 2020

Northern Waterthrush, Belchertown, MA, Aug 8, 2020

Earlier today I hit a few spots around the local area and turned up a total of 16 species for the morning including a slightly late Louisiana Waterthrush and a few singing Canada Warblers.  Fall migration for warblers is certainly underway.