I have only managed to find three species in Hampshire County for the month despite a lot of looking and only got photos of two (missed the Common Yellowthroat). Not a banner November by any stretch of the imagination. Nonetheless I still had fun trying to track down new stuff. Thankfully I had a quick getaway to Florida to give me my warbler fix and I actually managed to add three new warbler species to my Florida state list. The trip to Florida got me to 18 species for the month so quite happy with that. I will be out to start December in the hopes of finding a warbler in the county before I head well south in search of a few new warbler species.
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Warblers on a short trip to Florida including several unusual ones
Nashville Warbler, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 16, 2024
Blackpoll Warbler, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 18, 2024
Yellow throated Warbler, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Northern Parula, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Northern Waterthrush, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Northern Waterthrush, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Prairie Warbler, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
American Redstart, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Pine Warbler, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Common Yellowthroat, Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area, Royal Palm Beach, FL, Nov 15, 2024
Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area, Royal Palm Beach, FL, Nov 15, 2024
The first full morning in Florida was spent in the Wellington area with a early morning stop at Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area where I had four species of warblers including a hundred plus Yellow rumped Warblers steadily moving through. After about an hour and a half covering a small area (due to few trails being well maintained) I headed back toward our lodging. We then headed to nearby Peaceful Waters Sanctuary before heading to the birthday party. This stop produced a total of nine species of warblers. Among the nine was a Northern Waterthrush with an injured leg and a unique set of two white marks on its back. The bird seemed to be feeding fine despite the injury and hopefully it will survive. We then went to the birthday party midday and after a few hours there we starts the couple hour drive up to Melbourne Beach, where we arrived around dinner time.
Nashville Warbler, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 16, 2024
Palm Warbler 'western', Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 16, 2024
Northern Parula, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 16, 2024
Common Yellowthroat, Sebastian Inlet SP, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 16, 2024
On the first full day in Melbourne Beach I was out before dawn and headed to Sebastian Inlet SP primarily looking for a rare to the area Sabine’s Gull (which I did not find). I had a few warblers with nothing unusual among them…not too surprising as I was not in good warbler habitat. I stayed near the inlet until Pelican Island NWR opened for the day. I arrived there around 7:30 and did some roadside birding near the Centennial Trail. Although I only had five species of warbler at the spot I did find one rarity with a Nashville Warbler in a mixed flock. The Nashville Warbler was a new species for me in Florida (bringing my state warbler total to 24 species). I then tried another area of the refuge (Bird's Impoundment Trail) and this spot was quite productive for warblers with half a dozen species including some new ones for the day. The big highlight here was not a warbler but a Dark eyed Junco I found which is a big rarity this far south and perhaps a first county record in Indian River County. A couple other short walks around midday produced a few more warblers and brought my day total to ten species.
Cape May Warbler, Jungle Trail, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 17, 2024
Yellow throated Warbler, Jungle Trail, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 17, 2024
Black and White Warbler, Jungle Trail, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 17, 2024
Nashville Warbler, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 17, 2024
Common Yellowthroat, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 17, 2024
Cape May Warbler, Sebastian Inlet SP, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 17, 2024
Hooded Warbler, Sebastian Inlet SP, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 17, 2024
The second full day out on the coast found me heading south again to explore some areas of the Jungle Trail (a dirt road actually) where some unusual warblers have recently been seen. As it was before daybreak when I was ready to go I made a detour to Sebastian Inlet before going to the Jungle Trail trying in vain again to find the reported Sabine’s Gull there. I eventually headed to the Jungle Trail a bit after seven. I arrived to find it a bit breezy so not optimal for finding warblers. Nonetheless I started looking and came across a few warblers scattered here and there with no real mixed flocks. I did have some luck with my first Ovenbird of the trip. The noise from a nearby maintenance yard and a Cooper’s Hawk sitting among the tangles probably added to the lack of warblers. I almost gave up on the area and then noticed a group of Palm Warblers and then a couple other species including my first Black and White Warbler for the trip. I then turned up more and more species with Yellow throated Warbler and then three Cape May Warblers and then a Bay breasted Warbler. I got photos of a few of the species and then a Broad winged Hawk came in and ruined the party. I eventually got back on some of the flock further up the road but never could track down the Bay breasted Warbler again which was too bad as this was a new warbler species for me in Florida (bringing me to 25 species). After an hour and half in a relatively small area producing nine species of warblers I headed north a bit and turned up the Nashville Warbler at Pelican Island NWR once again. I then made a couple more stops with the last being back to Sebastian Inlet SP where I finally had luck seeing the Sabine’s Gull. Once I got photos of the gull I worked some of the edges and came up with more warblers. I could hear a Northern Waterthrush and there was a bird photographer there using playback and getting no response. He walked away and then I just stayed put and got looks at the waterthrush. As I was watching it I noticed a yellow bird fly in that turned out to be a Hooded Warbler! A good late record and a nice addition to the day. I then headed back to the lodging for lunch before we headed out in the afternoon with the intention to do some kayaking. Unfortunately the nearby spot we used before no longer rented kayaks so we had some ice cream instead! We then spent the rest of the afternoon at the lodging on the beach and I added a life bird for the effort with a Cory’s Shearwater (yes somehow I have not had the species before now). By the end of the day I had found 14 species of warblers.
Cape May Warbler, Jungle Trail, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 18, 2024
Black throated Green Warbler, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 18, 2024
Blackpoll Warbler, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 18, 2024
Nashville Warblers, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 18, 2024
Orange crowned Warbler, Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 18, 2024
Palm Warbler 'western', Pelican Island NWR, Vero Beach, FL, Nov 18, 2024
Palm Warbler 'yellow', Moss Park, Orlando, FL, Nov 18, 2024
The last day of our short trip started off as the last couple have, with me heading south in search of warblers. My first stop for warblers was along the Jungle Trail in a vain attempt to relocate the Bay breasted Warbler seen previously. Although I had no luck with the Bay breasted Warbler I did have a Hooded Warbler that offered fleeting views as it stayed in a dense tangle and called quite a bit. I had to be happy with some recordings. There were at least two Cape May Warblers in the area too among a total of seven species at the location. I then headed a bit north to Pelican Island NWR to spend my last hour and a half free before packing up and heading out. I arrived and started looking for the continued Nashville Warbler and ended up finding two of the species moving together. I then turned up another unusual species with a Blackpoll Warbler (my third new warbler species for my Florida list on this trip). I found a number of other species as I walked the road including my first Black throated Green Warbler of the trip. I wish I had more time to explore a bit more as it was fairly active. We had to be out of our lodging by ten so headed back, packed up and started the drive toward Orlando for our flight. The original plan was to go to the Orlando Wetlands Park but when checking directions to there noticed it was closed on Mondays so we had to come up with an alternative. We picked the wildlife drive at Merritt Island NWR until we discovered that location was also closed for the day. After a bit of discussion we headed to Viera to the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands . This location proved to be very slow with not a lot of activity…a far cry from what I remember from visits several years ago. We then headed further north and then east to try Moss Park before heading to the airport. Not a lot of variety at the location with typical species like Yellow rumped Warblers, Pine Warblers and Palm Warblers (with both subspecies present). By the end of the day I had found 14 species of warblers, matching my total from the previous day. I started feeling a little off and thought it might be something I ate. I didn’t feel much better as the day wore on and I was very glad to get the flight over with and get home. I took it easy the next day and felt better.
Although it was a short getaway I still had some good luck with warblers with 18 species, including three new ones for me in Florida with Nashville Warbler, Bay breasted Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler. My Florida warbler list now sits at 26 species.
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Just two warbler species for the first week of November despite some record setting heat
Palm Warbler 'yellow', Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Nov 5, 2024
Although I spent a lot of time looking for late warblers I was unable to come up with any additional species beyond two (Yellow rumped Warbler and Palm Warbler) I found to begin the month. The weather started off seasonal and then warmed to record setting temps toward the end of the first week. I had to work on a few days through the week but nonetheless I still was able to bird at least a little every day thanks to the earlier sunrise times with the return to standard time. Yellow rumped Warbler was the most frequently found warbler (as expected for November) and they continued in dwindling numbers at a few locations. I also turned up at least three Palm Warblers for the period. In addition I had fleeting glimpse at another warbler that I was never able to pin down for an ID and was certainly the 'one that got a away' for the week. I will continue to spend time checking areas for warblers as the month wears on and with a lot of luck I will turn up something noteworthy.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
First couple days of November
Palm Warbler 'yellow', Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 1, 2024
Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 1, 2024
Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Wentworth Farm Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Nov 1, 2024
I started off November (as expected) concentrating on trying to find warblers. I got out of an overtime shift to start the month and immediately headed to a few areas that had featured warblers to end the month of October. It was a bit windy but still warm with temps that started in the low to mid 60's so quite warm when the normal high now is in the upper 50's! Eventually it warmed well into the 70's and set another record. My stops in Amherst yielded several Yellow rumped Warblers as well as at least two Palm Warblers plus another unidentified warbler that I only got brief looks at that was likely something unusual. Sadly I only got a brief look at a fairly bright yellow bird that flushed up from a goldenrod field and never reappeared.
For the second I was out once again checking a variety of other areas for warblers and only came up with Yellow rumped Warblers (and few of those). The cooler temps with a breeze certainly didn't help my quest.
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