Hooded Warbler on Prescott Peninsula

Hooded Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 8, 2019

Hooded Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 8, 2019

Hooded Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 8, 2019

Hooded Warbler, Prescott Peninsula, New Salem, MA, Jun 8, 2019

I was surprised this morning to find another Hooded Warbler for the season, this time on the permit only Prescott Peninsula at Quabbin.  I was up on the peninsula checking my whip poor will survey route as well as conducting some field bird surveys.  As I was slowly driving down the lower third of the peninsula I distinctly heard a Hooded Warbler singing so I stopped immediately and started looking for it.  I got some recordings right away but ti took a lot of looking to finally get some views and marginal photos of the bird.  Always amazing how even brightly colored birds can hide so well in the now fully leafed out trees!  The habitat looked good for potential breeding (mature oak and maple forest with a fairly thick understory).  The bird sang nearly continuously while I was in the area so it certainly looked to be trying to attract a mate.  Hooded Warbler is at its northern breeding limit here so finding a mate will be difficult (but not impossible).  I will keep tabs on the bird over the next few weeks to see if it sticks around and has any success finding a mate.  I have never had the species on the Prescott Peninsula before (or anywhere in Franklin County for that matter).  This becomes at least the third Hooded Warbler for me this spring (with the others being one I found at Quabbin Park on June 1 and the other (or others) initially found by Ted along the rail trail in Amherst in mid May.  The peninsula produced a total of 15 species of warblers for the morning...full list.