Louisiana Waterthrush arrives

After a recent trip to Arizona I arrived home to find the warm weather followed me here.  The temperatures reached 90 today.  The warblers continue to arrive with building numbers of Palms and Yellow-rumped as well as many Pines.  I added a fourth species this evening as a Louisiana Waterthrush is calling from the stream near the house.  Still calling as I type this at 7:15pm.  I'll update later about the warblers from Arizona.

Third warbler species in March-Yellow-rumped Warbler

I found my third warbler species for the month of March at Great Pond in Hatfield this morning as I ran across a Yellow-rumped Warbler working its way along the ridge above the pond.  There was also a very vocal Pine Warbler in the same area.  The Pine Warblers are back in force and singing on territory at most stops today.  With only one day left in the month this will likely be the last species of warbler for the month but you never know.  The warbler season is certainly off to a good start so far with Pine, Palm and Yellow-rumped here so far.

Palm Warbler at home...in March.

Yet another very early warbler arrival this evening as I came across a Palm Warbler here at home.  Initially heard as I walked the dog for his evening walk.  I had no binoculars or camera with me but I kept hearing the bird chip and it came into a tree perhaps 10 feet away, providing great naked eye looks.  It was a male with a continuously pumping tail.  It was seen at 6:35 along Jabish Brook and then moved down the stream out of view and I continued with my walk.  I then heard it chip a few more times before I headed back to the house to get my camera.  Despite much effort I was unable to relocate and get a photo.  The number of Pine Warblers has grown quite a bit in the last week and they seemed to be present at every location I stopped at today.  The Pine Warbler at the house sang on and off all day long.

Pine Warbler in March

The unseasonable warmth and south winds has resulted in many early migrants arriving at record early dates.  Today I found a singing Pine Warbler at Covey WMA. The earliest date I have had them back here ever, beating my old record of April 1 in 2006. A normal year finds the first one arriving the first week of April.  The temperature today topped out around 78 and it should stay in the 70's the next two days and then into the 80's on Thursday...a full 30-40 degrees above the average high this time of year...amazing!

Florida warblers

Palm Warbler, Green Cay Wetlands, Boynton Beach, FL, Jan 29, 2012

Black and White Warbler, Green Cay Wetlands, Boynton Beach, FL, Jan 29, 2012

Orange-crowned Warbler, Viera Wetlands, FL, Jan 31, 2012

On recent trip to Florida (January 28-February 1) I found a total of six species of warblers including Yellow-rumped (Myrtle), Palm (western), Pine, Black and White and Orange-crowned Warblers and Common Yellowthroats.  The most numerous species by far was the Yellow-rumped Warbler followed by Palm Warblers.  The remaining species were seen in much lesser numbers with singles seen of Orange-crowned and Black and White Warblers.

End of year wrap up

Blackpoll Warbler, Magee Marsh, OH

Prothonotary Warbler, Magee Marsh, OH

Bay-breasted Warbler, Magee Marsh, OH

Lucy's Warbler, Saguaro NP, AZ

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's), Sweetwater Wetlands, AZ

Blue-winged Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA

Prairie Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA

Ovenbird, Quabbin, MA

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin, MA

I took a total of six trips out of the area this year which was a new high for me.  The trips included the following:  Florida in January, Arizona in April, Ohio in May, California in September, Texas in November and Costa Rica in December.  Each of these trips had there own highlights that I cover in greater detail on my other blog http://quabbinbirdingandbeyond.blogspot.com/  .  As far as warblers were concerned this year I managed to end the year with a total of 47 species of wood warblers. 

Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica

Of the 47 species seen this year I added five which I had never seen before including Kirtland Warbler in Michigan which I found on a day trip during my Ohio trip.  Although it was a long drive and I didn’t get any photos of the birds it was nice to see and hear them on their breeding grounds.  I also added Virginia's Warbler and Grace's Warbler in Arizona as well as Gray-crowned Yellowthroat and Buff-rumped Warbler in Costa Rica. 

Hooded Warbler, Quabbin Gate 12, MA

In western Massachusetts I had a total of 29 species.  I totalled 19 species in the yard this year. The most interesting local warblers were a Hooded Warbler that stayed in the same area at Gate 12 at Quabbin for several weeks this spring and summer.  According to another person doing research in the same area there were several Hooded Warblers around with both males and females.  Perhaps they were breeding here?  Another interesting warbler was a Blue-winged Warbler singing a Golden-winged Warbler song in breeding habitat on the Prescott Peninsula.  Despite the golden-winged song it appeared to be a 'pure' Blue-winged Warbler but there certainly was some genetic mixing somewhere along the line.  Overall a great year with the highest number yet of wood warblers in a single year.  I have now seen a total of 49 species of wood warbler in my life and hope to add more next year.

Warblers in Costa Rica

Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 8, 2011

Chestnut-sided Warbler, Rio Magnolia Lodge, Costa Rica, Dec 4, 2011

I just returned from my first trip down to Costa Rica and it was in a word...amazing!  Many life birds and an all around great trip.  I stayed at a lodge in the Pacific foothills near Dominical and spent some time at the coast too.  I found nine warbler species with two, a Buff-rumped Warbler and Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, new to me.  The most abundant warbler by far was the Chestnut-sided Warbler followed by Tennessee Warblers.  Other warblers found in small numbers (or only one) included Black and White, Golden-winged, Wilson's, and Yellow Warblers and Northern Waterthrush.  It was one of my best trips and I cannot wait to go back down there again.