Hooded Warbler, multiple hybrids among 27 species of warblers for the second week of May

Bay breasted Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2019

Nashville Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2019

Cape May Warbler, UMASS, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Blackpoll Warbler, rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

American Redstart, rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Pine Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2019

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2019

Although the end of the second week of the month of May is not yet here, between the cold and rainy weather and work commitments I probably won't get a chance to add any others in the next couple days.  As expected the second week of May has been great for warblers even if the weather has been quite cool.  The most unusual species for the week was a Hooded Warbler (possibly two) that Ted found along the rail trail on Friday the 10th with at least one continuing until the morning of the 11th.  I found out about the bird late in the morning and headed right over to the area it was reported to still be in.  I arrived to hear it singing as I pulled up but a street sweeper coming by and the immediate onset of rain quieted the bird down and I never heard it again for the nearly two more hours I was there...super frustrating but that is how it goes.  I later found out Ted found another (or the same one that relocated from the original location) further up the rail trail off on a side trail.  The timeline of my sighting and his second one could correspond with the bird relocating but no way to know for certain.  I returned to the rail trail on Saturday morning and relocated a Hooded Warbler near the area where Ted had it later in the day.  It sang several times and I got recordings but it remained very tough to get any views of and no chance for photos.  The number of other species continue to show in above average numbers including Cape May Warbler, Bay breasted Warbler and Nashville Warbler.  Oddly Tennessee Warblers have not been around in large numbers, which is surprising as the species (as well as Cape May and Bay breasted Warblers) have had some great breeding success the last few years in boreal north.  A more detailed post I did last year about it can be found at the following link.

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Sweet Alice Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2019

Blue winged x Golden winged Warbler hybrid, Quabbin Park, MA, May 10, 2019 (third year in same area)

Blue winged Warbler (normal individual for comparison), Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2019

I also found a number of Blue winged Warblers that showed some traits associated with hybridization with Golden winged Warblers including one individual that has returned to the same location at Quabbin Park (May 2017, May 2018).  The most unique individual was the one found along the rail trail in Amherst that featured an unusual mask and could possibly be a Lawrence's Warbler backcross.  Another interesting Blue winged Warbler was one at Sweet Alice Conservation Area in Amherst that sang an odd single pitch song and sounded almost like a Worm eating Warbler but looked like a typical Blue winged Warbler (link to video)