Record late Worm eating Warbler plus more early arriving species (Bay breasted Warblers and Tennessee Warblers)

Worm eating Warbler, Ware, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Common Yellowthroat, Ware, MA, Aug 20, 2023

I went out this morning concentrating on warblers in the hopes of finding some mixed flocks and potentially some unusual individuals among them and I had some great luck.  It was a bit cool to start (temps in the upper 50's) and usually the best spot on mornings like that is some edge habitat just as the sun starts warming things up.  Finding the right sunny spot is always the struggle.  I started off in Ware and had some great luck with the biggest surprise being a late Worm eating Warbler.  This bird was not only away from any known local breeding area it also set a new late date for me for the species in the county, breaking the old record of August 5th by just over two weeks!  Would love to know where the individual came from.  

Bay breasted Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Bay breasted Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Bay breasted Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Tennessee Warblers, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

Black throated Green Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 20, 2023

After some great luck in Ware I then headed over to Quabbin Park and almost immediately ran across a mix flock with a few birds still singing (Black and White Warblers and a Blue winged Warbler).  As I sorted through the various birds darting back in forth near the tops of the oaks I saw two Tennessee Warblers briefly land on the bare branches of a dead tree and I got a few photos.  Still on the early side for Tennessee Warblers but they are putting on an early influx.  I then moved to a few other spots and in another mixed flock I found first one and then two Bay breasted Warblers, with both being adult males molting out of breeding plumage and into non breeding plumage....more early arrivals.  This is not a transitional plumage we get to see around here much at all.  I had good numbers of multiple other warbler species and ended my time in the park with 13 species and 14 species overall for the morning.