Hooded Warbler, Orange crowned Warbler and Mourning Warbler among 29(!) species of warbler today!

Cape May Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Cape May Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Cape May Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Northern Parula, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Black throated Blue Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Blackburnian Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Bay breasted Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 16, 2018

Magnolia Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 16, 2018

Cape May Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 16, 2018

Wilson's Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 16, 2018

Tennessee Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 16, 2018

After getting 26 species of warbler during the last two days I didn't have any real expectations to top that total today but I was wrong!  By the early afternoon today I had managed to find a total of 29 species of warblers, which I believe is my highest single day total around here.  The day started out foggy, cool and gloomy but that can actually be great for birding sometimes as it keeps the birds vocal a bit longer than if it were sunny (but it makes getting photos tough).  One of the first species I got for the day when I arrived at UMASS was a male Hooded Warbler workings through the tangles in a mixed flock..a real surprise and a taste of good things to come.  I tried to get a photo but didn't have any luck and I could not relocate after the initial sighting.  This made the third Hooded Warbler for me this spring, my best total ever.  I then explored a few other areas where I had my first Mourning Warbler of the season (I have sent the recording of the bird to a researcher who should be able to tell me what subgroup the individual comes from).  It was great to see some variety here after the removal of some great habitat over the last few years (makes me wonder how much better it could have been!).  After seeing multiple Tennessee, Wilson's, and Cape May Warblers in the tangles I headed elsewhere to check out some mature oaks and ran across another mixed species flock that contained a rare in spring Orange crowned Warbler.  I have only had this species in spring a handful of times and the individual today was feeding high in the trees among with other species, a behavior I have only seen in spring.  In fall the species stays low in dense vegetation.  After a couple hours at UMASS and 24 species of warbler, I headed over Quabbin Park for a few more hours and added a few more species of warbler bringing my total to 27.  Among the many highlights there was an amazing group of seven Cape May Warblers in a small area.  As a few fed up high I almost overlooked a group of four males feeding down low...luckily I noticed them and got some of my best views and photos of the species I think I have ever had around here.  I also found the continued Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid in his usual spot.  As the morning came to an end I decided I would make the trip over to Skinner SP to add two more warbler species (Cerulean and Worm eating Warblers) to the list for the day bringing my total for the day up to 29 species (plus the hybrid).  I didn't have a lot of time to spend there today but did see the female continuing to work on the nest I found yesterday.

Magnolia Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 15, 2018

Yesterday I added another warbler species to my water feature list when the camera caught a Magnolia Warbler stopping by (my 13th warbler species there).  So far this spring I have had 21 species of warbler in the yard but oddly enough Blue winged Warbler still remains unseen in the yard.