End of June warblers

Prairie Warbler, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jun 30, 2022

Common Yellowthroat, Mount Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jun 30, 2022

Brewster's Warbler, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Jun 30, 2022

June has come to an end and overall for the month I found a total of 22 species of warblers plus Lawrence's Warbler and Brewster's Warbler hybrids (plus other Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrids).  No big surprises for the month (or spring overall) beyond a variety of hybrids that have continued.  The big miss for the spring into early summer for me continues to be a Hooded Warbler in Hampshire County (I have seen one in Hampden County in late May).  Although fairly rare in the county, as the species is at its northern limit here, I usually can turn up at least one for the year but not this year.  In fact there has been but a single report of an individual on the county line in Holyoke and the bird didn't stay long and was uncooperative for almost everyone that went looking for it.  The last year that I failed to turn one up was back in 2016.  Since 2009 (the first year I had one in the county) I have only missed seeing the species on three previous years.  I suppose there is still a slight chance of turning one up but the chance are slim this late in the year.

Lawrence's Warbler continues and appears to have bred

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Jun 29, 2022

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Jun 29, 2022

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Jun 29, 2022

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Jun 29, 2022

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Belchertown, MA, Jun 29, 2022

After not seeing the Lawrence’s Warbler since May 27th I relocated it today in the same area I had it in for most of May (no sign of the second one that apparently was a one day wonder at a different location in town).  I had heard a Blue winged Warbler in the area several days ago but never saw the bird. Subsequent visits to the area failed to turn up anything but I decided to give it another go today. The conditions were perfect with a cool, calm morning that warmed up rapidly with abundant sunshine. My first stop in the area for the morning did not produce the Lawrence’s Warbler but my second stop did indeed turn it up. I initially saw a Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler working its way through a thick tangle carrying food (I suspected the Lawrence’s Warbler was paired with this bird on previous visits). After a bit of looking I turned up the Lawrence’s Warbler which was also carrying food. Over the next half hour I had a few more fleeting glimpses of both birds as they carried food to a presumed nest in a dense thicket.  The Lawrence’s Warbler did not sing at all while I was there but both birds called a few times but were otherwise silent.  I hope to get a glimpse of the offspring in the near future.

Worm eating Warblers along the Mt. Holyoke Range

Worm eating Warbler, Mt. Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jun 14, 2022

Worm eating Warbler, Mt. Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jun 14, 2022

Black and White Warbler, Mt. Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jun 14, 2022

Looking north from Rattlesnake Knob, Mt. Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jun 14, 2022

With a few hours available this morning I headed to the Mt. Holyoke Range SP with two goals.  The first was to try to locate a Hooded Warbler for Hampshire County for the year and the second to inventory Worm eating Warblers.  Although I struck out on the first goal and found no Hooded Warblers I had much better luck with Worm eating Warblers.  I hiked around four miles coming in from Bachelor Street in Granby and then up to Rattlesnake Knob and then back down.  I ran across at least eight Worm eating Warblers with at least one carrying food.  All but one of the birds was singing so the total number of individuals present is likely nearly double what I counted.  The species is well distributed along the range and I suspect there are probably a couple of dozen pairs present.  

Record setting spring for Mourning Warblers

Mourning Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 19, 2022

Mourning Warbler, Mitch's Way, Hadley, MA, May 20, 2022

Mourning Warbler, Hadley, MA, May 25, 2022

Now that the migration of Mourning Warblers is over for the spring I will take a quick look at the totals for what was a record setting season for me in regards to the species.  I ended the spring migration season with 19 individuals, including an amazing ten on May 20th alone.  I managed to get recordings of almost all and had all three possible regiolects possible here (Eastern, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland) represented in my recordings plus an odd individual on May 25th that was a hybrid of a Nova Scotia and Eastern regiolect (one of only a few ever noted by the researcher studying these regiolects).  My total of 19 beats my previous best year of 2019 when I had 13 individuals and surpasses an average year when I get perhaps half a dozen.  

First week of June warblers

Prairie Warbler, Ware, MA, Jun 6, 2022

Prairie Warbler, Ware, MA, Jun 6, 2022

Canada Warbler, Pelham, MA, Jun 5, 2022

Canada Warbler, Pelham, MA, Jun 5, 2022

Worm eating Warbler, Mt Holyoke Range SP, Granby, MA, Jun 4, 2022

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Fog Hollow, Southampton, MA, May 2, 2022

The first week of June is now almost over and with it the tail end of spring warbler migration.  Most every bird around now is a breeder.  During the first week of the month I have found 21 species of warbler but still no Hooded Warbler in Hampshire County, despite a lot of looking.  I will continue to try my best to find the species over the next few weeks as I spend the breeding season conducting various bird surveys.