I stayed mainly local today with most of my time spent at Quabbin Park where I spent hours exploring various areas and turned 22 species of warbler. I had high counts of a number of species, both breeders and those moving to places further north. The highlight for me was finding a singing male Cerulean Warbler in the general area where they once bred (more on that below). I initially heard it and it sounded perfect for a Cerulean Warbler but I have been fooled by Black throated Blue Warblers many times. Black throated Blue Warblers in certain areas of the northeast can sing a very convincing Cerulean Warbler like song so you have to get a look at any suspected Cerulean Warbler around here (David Sibley wrote an informative post on this a few years ago and that post can be found at the following link). After a bit of looking and waiting I got looks at a beautiful male Cerulean Warbler and got some photos and video. Something very satisfying about finding a Cerulean Warbler around here away from their known nesting colony at Skinner SP.
Now a look at Cerulean Warblers historically in Quabbin Park. At one time they reliable bred in the area of the Winsor Memorial until the early 2000's or so. After that they disappeared as a breeder in the park. I have had Cerulean Warblers within Quabbin Park on several occasions and many times in the general area where they once bred. A few times a singing male stayed around for several days but no evidence of breeding was ever found by me. Below is a list of the Cerulean Warblers I have had within the park over the years since moving to Belchertown and birding Quabbin Park a bit.
-A male singing in the area of the memorial from May 22-June 4, 2010
-A male singing in the area of the memorial from May 9-May 13, 2014
-A silent male in a mixed flock near Goodnough Dike on May 13, 2016
-Another silent male in mixed flock on May 17, 2017
-A silent male in the area of the memorial on May 2, 2021 and again on May 8, 2021
I had to run a few errands in Amherst so I made a stop along the rail trail and had a very frustrating bird that may have been something good. I was walking down the trail and heard an odd song with Blue winged Warbler like qualities (recording in list). Despite my best efforts to track it down I never got looks at it and after singing for perhaps 15 minutes it went silent and never made another sound. I looked in multiple areas nearby but never relocated the bird.
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