End of May wrap up

Black and White Warbler, Herman Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 3, 2021

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, May 3, 2021

Orange crowned Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 4, 2021

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 7, 2021

Cerulean Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 7, 2021

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, May 8, 2021

Prairie Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 8, 2021

Golden winged Warbler, Montague, MA, May 10, 2021

Cape May Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 13, 2021

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2021

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, May 20, 2021

Mourning Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 26, 2021

The big month of warblers has now come to an end and I will take a quick look at totals and highlights for the month.  The very beginning of the month started off strong with double digit species counts to start the month.  By the end of the first week I had added Lawrence's Warbler and Orange crowned to the growing list of warblers for the month.  On the 10th I had a morning with both Blue winged Warbler and Golden winged Warbler plus both easily recognized hybrids...something I have never done before in the area (unfortunately the Golden winged Warbler was in Franklin County and not in Hampshire County).  On the 18th I did a big warbler day in Hampshire County and found a total of 28 species.  Nearing the end of the month another Brewster's Warbler along with multiple Mourning Warblers showed up but after that the weather got very cool and rainy and I had to work so no chance to add any other unusual warblers.

Total warblers for the month came to 31 with thirty of those seen in Hampshire County (the Golden winged Warbler in Franklin County being the only species seen for the month but not in Hampshire County).  In addition I had multiple hybrids with a Lawrence's Warbler and two Brewster's Warblers (as well as other Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrids).   Overall the warbler migration season started off strong but by the end it fizzled out with many late season migrants showing up in low numbers (compared to a typical year).  We shall see by fall if the number of these species bounce back with the low numbers in spring being caused by the birds taking advantage of good migration conditions and flying over without stopping and not a drop in numbers of migrants...time will tell.

Another Brewster's Warblers and multiple Mourning Warblers

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2021

Blue winged Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Yellow Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

While out along the rail trail this morning I got a text from Annemarie regarding an odd Blue winged Warbler at Sweet Alice Conservation Area.  She sent along a photo and the bird was quickly identified as a Brewster's Warbler.  I made my way over to the location and met up with Annemarie and she showed me where she had the bird.  I then spent the next hour and a half looking for the him and just as I was about to leave I finally got a look at him...persistence pays off.  It was singing a typically bee-buzz song of a Blue winged Warbler (unlike the other Brewster's Warbler in the area that sang an odd three part song).  I got a number of photos and some great looks and easily determined the bird was a different individual from the other Brewster's Warbler in Amherst.  The one today has a unique yellow "T" shape on its chest which the other bird does not.  I did make a quick stop to the area the other Brewster's Warbler has been hanging around but it was not present (or at least didn't show itself).  A bonus was having a couple of Mourning Warblers in the area, including one singing.

Mourning Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Mourning Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 24, 2021

Although the warbler migration is rapidly slowing down there are still late season migrants moving through and I got some great looks at a Mourning Warbler along the rail trail in Amherst today.  I initially heard the bird singing and as I waited to try to get a recording to determine its regiolect I noticed two yellow bird chasing each other with one being the Mourning Warbler (the other was a Common Yellowthroat).  It was nice to actually see the Mourning Warbler well as many times all you do is hear them singing or calling from dense thickets.   

Another Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Southampton WMA, Southampton, MA, May 20, 2021

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Southampton WMA, Southampton, MA, May 20, 2021

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Southampton WMA, Southampton, MA, May 20, 2021

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Southampton WMA, Southampton, MA, May 20, 2021

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Southampton WMA, Southampton, MA, May 20, 2021

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 11, 2020

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Black Bear blocking the path, Southampton WMA, Southampton, MA, May 19, 2021

I went in search of a White eyed Vireo at the Southampton WMA late yesterday morning and not long after seeing the vireo I noticed a Blue winged Warbler singing and when I got my binoculars on it I noticed it had a partial mask reminiscent of a Golden winged Warbler.  The bird flew off down the path not long after I got a look but before I could get photos.  I walked a bit down the path to try to catch up with it and then heard some rustling in the thickets and quickly noticed a very large Black Bear.  I retreated down the path about twenty feet and the bear came out and stayed in the path, blocking any access to the warbler and an easy exit.  After waiting awhile and trying to scare the bear off he seemed totally uninterested in moving so I had to make a detour around him to leave the area.  I definitely wanted to get photos of the warbler but figured I would have to wait for a few days before I made it back over.  However the sighting of very rare Wilson's Phalaropes in the East Meadows in the evening had me rethinking my morning plans for today and I decided to try for the phalaropes (and succeeded).  Since I was already in Northampton I decided to head back to the Southampton WMA to try to relocate the warbler and after a bit of effort I succeeded.  It is a unique individual with a partial mask of a Golden winged Warbler but otherwise looking like a typical Blue winged Warbler.  I had a very similar individual along the rail trail in Amherst for a couple years running (2019 and 2020)...I have added a few photos of that bird too.  The bird sang a typical Blue winged Warbler song and appeared to be paired up with a 'pure' looking Blue winged Warbler.  It is probably some backcross of one of the more typical hybrids but who knows.

Warbler big day in Hampshire County nets 28 species (plus a hybrid)

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2021

Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2021

Magnolia Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, May 17, 2021

Blue winged Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 17, 2021

Bay breasted Warbler, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2021

With the peak of warbler migration here I decided to try my luck in seeing as many warbler species in Hampshire County as I could in a single day...a warbler big day.  There are so many variables at work when trying to plan to see as many warbler species as possible in a single day.  The overall tempo of the migration needs to be looked at first with the hope for delayed departure for early migrants and the early arrival of late migrants.  The weather is the biggest factor in determining the speed at which various migrants arrive and that obviously changes from year to year.  This year overall the migration has been slightly delayed compared to the last several years (at least).  The next factor to consider is the weather on the few days leading up to and the big day attempt and especially the weather on the day of.  You hope for calm conditions on the day of so you can see movement among the rapidly leafing out trees and allow you to hear any songs or calls.  Overcast conditions can actually be quite good as it keeps birds somewhat lower and singing longer into the morning but sunny days with low humidity and comfortable temperatures are more enjoyable (which was the case this year).  By the middle of May most breeders have arrived and the later season warblers are showing up.  The toughest part is finding lingering early season migrants (ie. Palm Warblers) and unusual to rare species that cannot be counted on to be around with Hooded Warblers and Orange crowned Warbler being the most likely to possibly be found.  There is always the outside chance of a really rare warbler to show (such as Kentucky Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler or Golden winged Warbler or something even rarer) but the chances are exceedingly low.  With all these factors in mind I decided to try for a warbler big day on either yesterday or today (in fact I decided to keep both days open to try on both of them).  Yesterday ended up being the better day both for overall species and cooperative weather.  On Monday I got out the door slightly later than I planned but still made it over to Skinner SP just before 5:30 in search of a Hooded Warbler seen there the day before.  I heard it sing distantly a few times but could never get looks at it (perhaps the same Hooded Warbler seen at Mitch's Way at the end of April?).  I then made a quick hike up the mountain to get Worm eating Warbler and Cerulean Warbler (the go to spot for both of these species in the county).  I then headed to nearby Mitch's Way where I added 15 species of warbler including my first Bay breasted Warblers of the season as well as multiple Mourning Warblers.  I made a brief return to the base of Skinner SP to look for the Hooded Warbler again but had no luck in relocating it.  I then headed to a few spots in Amherst to add a few more species (as well as a hybrid Brewster's Warbler) before going to Quabbin Park.  Quabbin Park is always great for warblers and a spot I would typically start a big warbler day but with the Hooded Warbler sighting I changed to starting in Hadley instead.  I then went to a spot in Belchertown that has had a Lawrence's Warbler but I was unable to relocate it and it may have moved on.  I spent the rest of the day around the house trying to find more warblers with the exception of a brief foray over to Northampton to check out a rare Red necked Phalarope.  By the end of the day on Monday (really by the end of the morning) I had found 28 species of warbler plus a hybrid.  As far as I can tell this is the most warbler species I have had in a single day in the county.  A thanks to Mary, Derek, Joe, Aaron, Chuck and Greg for keeping a lookout for any unusual warbler for me...sadly none of us could turn up a Palm Warbler!  As a side note I ended up with 115 species total for the day...not my highest total ever for the county but fairly respectable.  

After my day yesterday I tried again this morning but didn't have as much luck as the previous day with less species around and the wind picking up by late morning.  Nonetheless I still had a good morning with a total of 25 species of warbler while I hit most of the same locations.  It was certainly fun trying to track down warblers the last couple days and I will certainly continue to do so through the end of the month but my chances of having a big day to top Monday is exceedingly low for this year but there is always next year to look forward to.

Golden winged, Blue winged, Brewster's and Lawrence's Warblers on the same day (plus another hybrid) in western Massachusetts

Golden winged Warbler, Montague, MA, May 10, 2021

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, May 10, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2021

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Belchertown, MA, May 10, 2021

Blue winged Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2021

I managed to accomplish something I have never done before in all my years of looking for warblers.  I got to see and photograph a Golden winged Warbler, a Blue winged Warbler, both easily recognized hybrids of the two above mentioned species (Brewster's Warbler and Lawrence's Warbler) and an odd Blue winged x Golden winged hybrid for good measure all in a single morning here in western Massachusetts with all but the Golden winged Warbler in Hampshire County.  I have had the thought of trying this someday but trying to get all all of the stars to align at the same time is extremely unusual and much luck is involved in pulling it off.

Brewster's Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2021

Brewster's Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 10, 2021

The day started off rainy and I initially was out trying to find migrants downed by the weather and had  a few species of waterfowl at Winsor Dam but nothing too unusual.  I saw other people were not finding much either so I decided to instead head over to Amherst to follow up on a reported Brewster's Warbler (thanks Ben for the details on it).  I made the walk into the area where it was seen and found the bird fairly quickly (as well as a few pure looking Blue winged Warblers).  The occasional rain, low clouds and overall gloomy conditions were less than ideal for photos but I got what I could and was just happy to see the bird.  The bird was singing a slightly off three part song and I got some audio of it too.  At this point I decided I would try to find all the examples of the Blue winged/Golden winged Warbler complex (although it would a require a trip out of Hampshire County briefly to do it).  My next stop after seeing the Brewster's Warbler was north up to Montague in search of the Golden winged Warbler.

Golden winged Warbler, Montague, MA, May 10, 2021

Golden winged Warbler, Montague, MA, May 10, 2021

Golden winged Warbler, Montague, MA, May 10, 2021

Golden winged Warbler, Montague, MA, May 10, 2021

I arrived in Montague a bit after seven and as soon as I arrived I heard a Blue winged Warbler song and quickly located the Golden winged Warbler (thanks to Amasa and Genlyne for sharing the initial sighting).  The bird appears to sing both Blue winged and Golden winged songs and variations of the two.  In overall appearance it looks spot on for a 'pure' Golden winged Warbler and will almost certainly be accepted as such by the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee (Golden winged Warblers have become rare enough now that the species is now on the review list for the state).  The habitat it was in looked perfect for breeding although his chances of attracting a Golden winged female is quite low and if he stays he will almost certainly produce more hybrids.  I was quite surprised to find no one else at the site when I arrived given the rarity of the species in the state.  I have now seen six Golden winged Warblers in western Massachusetts, with all of them in Hampshire County except the one today in Franklin County.  All my previous records were in the spring (except a single one in September).  The dates for my previous spring sightings were May 13-31 so there is still a chance of finding one in Hampshire County this year.  My last Golden winged Warbler I had in the area was back in 2017 when I found one in Quabbin Park.  That individual stuck around for a few days and was enjoyed by many.

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Belchertown, MA, May 10, 2021

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Belchertown, MA, May 10, 2021

Before trying for the Lawrence's Warbler I stopped at a few spots in Amherst and Belchertown to check out suitable habitat for Blue winged Warblers in the hopes of turning up something beyond the typical.  I had a few different individuals in Amherst singing somewhat unusual songs but all looked like typical Blue winged Warblers.  I had better luck in Belchertown when I found a Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid that was not one of the typical hybrids.  This individual looked like a typical Blue winged Warbler but had a golden wing patch instead of the usual white wing bars.  I have found a few similar looking birds over the years but this was the first one this year.

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, May 10, 2021

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, May 10, 2021

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, May 10, 2021

The toughest bird to find today turned out to be the Lawrence's Warbler which took me quite a bit of time to finally track down.  I originally found the Lawrence's Warbler on May 3rd, returning to the same spot I had one last year.  I had not gone back to relocate it again before today so after a lot of looking and listening I was afraid the bird had moved on.  Thankfully the guy finally showed himself and I was able to achieve my goal of seeing all of the Blue winged/Golden winged Warbler complex in a day.  A fantastic day of warbler birding and something I doubt I will ever be able to repeat around here.

Blue winged and Golden winged Warblers are very similar genetically and will interbreed where their ranges overlap and the Blue winged Warblers tend to outcompete the Golden winged Warblers and this has led to that species becoming rare in the area.  Golden winged Warblers formerly bred in the area but have not for many years now.