A couple Orange crowned Warblers and a late Tennessee Warbler on another breezy day

Orange crowned Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Orange crowned Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Orange crowned Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Orange crowned Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Orange crowned Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Amherst, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Tennessee Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Tennessee Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Tennessee Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Belchertown, MA, Oct 17, 2025

Our weather of cool and breezy to windy weather continued today although at least now we have sun so it is a bit more tolerable.  I managed to find two Orange crowned Warblers today in Amherst and this is only the third time I have gotten two of them on the same day in the county ever (the two previous times were at Arcadia on Sept 22, 2023 and Oct 14, 2020).  Besides the Orange crowned Warblers I had a slightly late Tennessee Warbler as well as four other warbler species (Yellow rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler and Common Yellowthroat...in order of abundance).  Given all the fantastic migration conditions and cooler weather this month is not shaping up to feature many late warblers or counts over half a dozen species for a day as many species are long gone.  I will certainly be out looking and keeping my fingers crossed for a true rarity.

Middle of October has arrived

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown, MA, Oct 15, 2025

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 15, 2025

Pine Warbler, Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 14, 2025

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Rail trail, Ware, MA, Oct 12, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Rail trail, Ware, MA, Oct 12, 2025

Nashville Warbler, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Oct 12, 2025

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Oct 12, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown, MA, Oct 11, 2025

Black throated Blue Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 11, 2025

Since Sunday the weather here has either been rainy, windy or both so trying to track down warblers has been difficult as we reach the middle of October.  Conditions were a bit better before that but we are in a cool, windy pattern now and lots of birds have moved out.  Yellow rumped Warblers are the default warbler and are around in great numbers (one walk this morning over about half a mile produced 50+ individuals).  Other species are becoming tougher and tougher to find and my days of finding double digit counts for warbler species in a day are gone until I down to south Texas in November.  Nonetheless I will be out tracking down late species and hopefully a rarity as fall wears on toward winter.

I had a presentation at the Hampshire Bird Club last night and it was quite well received with the largest crowd for a club meeting since Covid so I have to be happy about that.  The topic was 'Endemic Warblers of the Caribbean' and featured lots of photos and stories as I tracked down the eleven species of warblers endemic to the Caribbean.  The consensus was the club wanted me back for another warbler centered talk in the future.

Big migration brings in loads of Yellow rumped Warblers (and clears out lots of other warblers)

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown, MA, Oct 9, 2025

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Belchertown, MA, Oct 9, 2025

Nashville Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 9, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 9, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 9, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 9, 2025

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Belchertown, MA, Oct 9, 2025

Last night featured the largest night of migration for the fall (at least according to birdcast where radar estimates tallied 4.5 million birds crossing Hampshire County!).  In regards to warblers it brought in the big influx of Yellow rumped Warblers that occurs every fall and every stop today featured groups of them and it has now become the default warbler.  Diversity dropped a lot with just eight species total with most of those represented by just a single individual.  The most unusual was a late Cape May Warbler. 

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.  

A few late warblers to end the third week of October

Nashville Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 19, 2024

Black throated Green Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 16, 2024

Common Yellowthroat, Amherst, MA, Oct 16, 2024

Tennessee Warbler, Amherst, MA, Oct 15, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 16, 2024

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Amherst, MA, Oct 17, 2024

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Amherst, MA, Oct 19, 2024

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Amherst, MA, Oct 21, 2024 

As the third week of October comes to an end on a rather warm note the diversity of warblers continue to drop with mainly just Yellow rumped Warblers around with just a smattering of other species.  The weather has been overall very pleasant with steadily warming temperatures with abundant sunshine with a near record high today in the mid 70's.  The mornings have been quite cold but the sun has increasing resulted in warmer days.  Between my time at work I have been out tracking down warblers in the hopes of finding late/lingering species and perhaps a rarity.  I have caught up with a few late warblers including a Black throated Green Warbler on the 16th and a Nashville Warbler on 19th.  I managed to track down eight species for the third week including my first Orange crowned Warbler of the fall.  

Wilson after surgery, Home, Belchertown, MA, Oct 19, 2024

Wilson had to have another surgery on Saturday to get a few masses removed and he continues to recover.  We will have to wait and see if any of them are cancer...certainly hope not.  

First Connecticut Warbler of the year (sadly no photo) but photos of other warblers from the last several days

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 19, 2024

Prairie Warbler, Rail trail, Ware, MA, Sep 18, 2024

Common Yellowthroat, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 17, 2024

Palm Warbler 'western', Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Sep 17, 2024

Palm Warbler 'yellow', Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Sep 17, 2024

Yellow Warbler, Hadley, MA, Sep 17, 2024

Black and White Warbler, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2024

Northern Parula, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Sep 15, 2024

Cape May Warbler, Olympia Drive, Amherst, MA, Sep 14, 2024

Black throated Green Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 13, 2024

Palm Warbler 'western', Aqua Vitae Rd, Hadley, MA, Sep 12, 2024

Common Yellowthroat, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Sep 12, 2024

After a lot of looking the last couple weeks for a Connecticut Warbler I finally had a way too brief look at a juvenile today in the East Meadows.  It was great to see one but the view was too brief and no chance for a photo so I will continue to try to track down another and try to get a photo.  The middle until the almost the end of September is traditionally the peak of migration of the species through the area so I certainly have a chance of getting another.  During my search for a Connecticut Warbler I have come across a nice assortment of other warblers the last several days and have attached a few photos of them above.