Big warbler year in the US update

Blue winged Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 20, 2026

Bay breasted Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 20, 2026

Brewster's Warbler, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 20, 2026

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, South Hadley, MA, May 21, 2026

Now for an update on the progress of my big warbler year in the US.  At this point I have seen a total of 46 species plus the two widely recognized hybrids of Blue winged x Golden winged Warblers.   There are now just five regularly species I have not yet seen with Golden winged Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Kentucky Warbler and Kirtland's Warbler.  The only species I'm likely to get here at home would be a Connecticut Warbler in the fall.  The rest will require a trip away from home although there is always a chance of a few of the species showing up here as a rarity.  My plan going forward to get the remaining species is to make a drive a bit further south (probably Pennsylvania...hopefully somewhere closer) to get Kentucky Warbler and maybe a Golden winged Warbler.  I then have a short stop planned (two nights) for Wisconsin before our trip up to Alaska in July.  This should get me Prothonotary Warbler near Minneapolis (where I'm flying into), Golden winged Warbler (if I missed it elsewhere) and Kirtland's Warbler (hopefully in the upper peninsula of Michigan and if not I will have to make a longer drive to the lower peninsula).  Depending on how the trip works out I may also try to get Connecticut Warbler on their breeding grounds in Minnesota.  There are other rare warblers possible in the US (Crescent chested Warbler, Gray crowned Yellowthroat, Fan tailed Warbler, Golden crowned Warbler and Slate throated Redstart) but I'm very unlikely to get these as most do not show up every year and each would involve a decent investment of time and money.  The only one of the above mentioned species that has been reported so far this year is Golden crowned Warbler in the lower Rio Grande Valley.  In addition I'm still toying with the idea of making a late year trip down to Puerto Rico to get two more species for the US big year with Elfin Woods Warbler and Adelaide's Warbler (sadly airfares have gone up significantly thanks to the debacle in the middle east).  For now I will continue to try to find one (or more) of the remaining species as a rarity here and try to figure out when to make the drive south to get Kentucky Warbler.

Common Yellowthroat, Home, Belchertown, MA, May 18, 2026

Around the yard I have added a few new warbler species for the year in the last several days with my total for the year now at 22 species with the recent additions of Canada Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler and Tennessee Warbler.  I also captured a new species for the year at the water feature with a Common Yellowthroat.

Lawrence's Warbler today

Lawrence's Warbler, Hardwick, MA, May 18, 2026

Lawrence's Warbler, Hardwick, MA, May 18, 2026

Lawrence's Warbler, Hardwick, MA, May 18, 2026

Lawrence's Warbler, Hardwick, MA, May 18, 2026

Blue winged Warbler, Hardwick, MA, May 18, 2026

Cape May Warbler, Ware, MA, May 18, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 18, 2026

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 18, 2026

After a big warbler day and two new warbler species for the year yesterday I decided to stay a bit more local today following yet another great night of migration.  With Quabbin Park still closed through the end of the week due to road construction I had to come up with a new plan for birding in the local area.  I settled on some spots in Ware where I spent about three hours and had 18 species.  Nothing really unusual although a nice mix of both breeding species and migrants moving north.  At this point I decided to try my luck on a previously reported Lawrence's Warbler in Hardwick.    Lawrence's Warbler is a hybrid between Blue winged Warbler and Golden winged Warbler and is the rarer of the two widely recognized hybrids (the other, more common hybrid is the Brewster's Warbler).  The reason the Lawrence's Warbler is rarer is due to the fact that the genes that produce the plumage pattern are recessive and the combination that needs to come together occurs infrequently.  Although not a true new species I can add for the year to my warbler list I still wanted to try and get a Lawrence's Warbler nonetheless as they are always so striking.  I have actually found a number of Lawrence's Warblers over the years but had not seen one for the year until today.  After a bit of searching I saw a regular Blue winged Warbler and within a few feet of it was the Lawrence's Warbler.  The two appeared to be paired up and followed each other around.  I did not hear the bird sing at all...it only called a few times and otherwise was silent.  I got a few photos of it and then left it alone to continue on with its life.  Now I had seen both of the common hybrids of the Blue winged/Golden winged Warbler complex.  As I was not too far away from Muddy Brook WMA I figured I would stop there to look for more warblers but I arrived to find some heavy equipment being moved around so I skipped there and headed to a part of Quabbin Park I could access and as expected ran across a number of warblers.  It was a 21 warbler species day...not quite the 28 species I had yesterday but quite successful with the addition of a Lawrence's Warbler.

Warbler species #45 and #46 for the year in the US with Mourning Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler among a total of 28 species in Hampshire County today

Blackpoll Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Mourning Warbler, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Blackpoll Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Blackpoll Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Blackburnian Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Worm eating Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Bay breasted Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Bay breasted Warbler, Skinner SP, Hadley, MA, May 17, 2026

Magnolia Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

Magnolia Warbler, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, May 17, 2026

With another night of great migration conditions I figured this morning would certainly get me two more species in the US for the year as part of my ongoing 'warbler big year in the US' (and with some luck give me my big warbler day for the year out here in Hampshire County).  The day started off right with a Louisiana Waterthrush singing at the house well before the sun came up.  My two targets for the morning were Mourning Warbler and Blackpoll Warbler.  Mourning Warblers are just starting through on their migration and I wanted to check some reliable spots for them before the weekend hordes would inevitably descend.  I headed to Mitch's Way before dawn and started the walk in with new species starting to sing with every passing minute.  I added one warbler after another and I eventually made it out to the river and then started the slow walk back.  I eventually found two Mourning Warblers with only one singing.  I will send the recordings off to a researcher (see earlier post of that here: Mourning Warbler regiolects).  As is typical for the species there was little cooperation for looks or photos of the guys.  I had to be happy with fleeting looks and some marginal photos this time.  Tennessee Warblers continued around in good numbers and were singing constantly although they largely remained out of view.  I next headed over to Skinner SP where I planned to walk to near the top to get me my other target for the morning.  As a bonus there was a Hooded Warbler reported in the area the day before and as I started up the mountain I heard the bird sing somewhat close and then saw it flying upslope where it sang a few more times before it flew even further away or chose not to sing any longer (my recordings attempts failed...just too far away).  Interestingly there was a Magnolia Warbler in the same area giving a decent impression of Hooded Warbler.  Once I got up to the upper portions of the road I eventually heard and then saw a Blackpoll Warbler and got my second target for the day and reached my goal of two new warbler species for the big year.  I will do a review soon on what remains and my plans to get the rest...suffice it to say trips away from home will be required.  At this point I had added a lot of warbler species for the morning and with a quick look at the count I figured I would try to maximize species for the day...a sorta big day within a big year.  With a few more stops from Amherst back to near home I added a few new species for the day and brought my total for the day in the county to 28 species.  Now is really the prime time for a big warbler day and you need some rarities around and some luck to run across the less frequently seen migrants to get a high count...I think my best ever for the county was 29 species and a hybrid or two for a single day.

Banding a Cerulean Warbler this morning

Cerulean Warbler just prior to banding, Quabbin Park, MA, May 12, 2026

Banding process with a Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 12, 2026

As part of an ongoing, multistate study of Cerulean Warblers a couple biologist were on site to try capture and band the Cerulean Warblers I have been watching at Quabbin.  Cerulean Warblers at the very limit of their range in Massachusetts with just a few pairs scattered around the area.  After a little of birding in the morning I caught up with the biologists a little before nine and immediately a Cerulean Warbler was singing nearby.  I had heard at least two in the area when I checked earlier in the morning.  I thought it would be easy to capture and band the very vocal of the two Cerulean Warblers around for the morning and they captured him fairly quickly in a mist net.  He was quickly banded, weighed, measured and had a measurements made before I was able to release him back into the trees to try to attract a mate.  He flew out of my hand and sang a song in flight, landed, sang again and then caught an insect and returned to the tops of the trees.  Always a treat to see a warbler up close and remember this tiny guy has made the trip down and back to South America at least once and found his way here.  I will be keeping an eye on these Cerulean Warblers throughout the breeding and season and hopefully they will nest successfully again.

Three Cerulean Warblers at Quabbin Park on a rainy, cool morning

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 9, 2026

Today was a rainy, raw day and the conditions were not too pleasant to be out in.  There were lulls between heavier showers with just a bit of drizzle and I tried to be out of the car when the lulls occurred.  The reward for the cold effort was seeing at least three singing male Cerulean Warblers at Quabbin Park!  I first found at least one (possibly two) on May 7th and had one in the same area yesterday.  Today I was able to confirm at least three individuals in distinct locations and all three remained in their chosen locations as I bounced between the spots.  None of the birds had bands so none are the one banded last year on site.  In addition I had a Black throated Blue Warbler singing a very Cerulean Warbler like song at another spot.  A productive morning despite the rainy, cool weather with a total of 15 species of warblers just in the park.

Bay breasted Warbler today becomes warbler species #44 for the year, some unusual Blue winged Warblers and Cerulean Warblers come back to Quabbin

Blue winged Warbler with black forehead, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Blue winged Warbler with black forehead, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Blue winged Warbler with black forehead, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Northern Waterthrush, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Northern Waterthrush, Rail Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Blue winged Warbler, KC Trail, Amherst, MA, May 8, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 8, 2026

Nashville Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 8, 2026

Today was a bit cool with temps in the mid 30's to start the day and highs that stayed in the 50's with a northerly breeze and overcast conditions.  Needless to say migration was mostly non existent overnight.  No matter the conditions it is early May and I will be out looking for stuff and today was no different.  I started out in Amherst with stops at Wildwood Cemetery, UMASS (multiple spots with Orchard Hill being depressing with more clearing of trees...a sad shadow of a previously great birding spot), the rail trail and a few other places before I headed back to Quabbin Park before returning home to get Wilson.  The notables for the day included warbler species #44 for me in the US this year with a Bay breasted Warbler while out walking Wilson, the continued Blue winged Warbler with a black forehead on the rail trail and a continued Cerulean Warbler at Quabbin Park (more on the Cerulean Warbler below).

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 8, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 8, 2026

Cerulean Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 8, 2026

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Blue winged Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Northern Yellow Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Ovenbird, Quabbin Park, MA, May 7, 2026

Blue winged Warbler, Ware, MA, May 7, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Covey WMA, Belchertown, MA, May 7, 2026

Yesterday started with some light rain just before dawn that thankfully quickly moved out.  Eventually it got sunnier and breezy.  Migration was stagnant overnight so I thought it would be a good time to hit some areas I have not as much as I would have liked the previous couple mornings when overnight migration was so good.  I stayed in the Ware and Quabbin Park area and I had some interesting sightings.  The first was an odd singing Blue winged Warbler (recordings and video in this list).  It would sing either a three or four part song, sounding a bit like a Golden winged Warbler.  I tracked it down and physically it looked exactly like a Blue winged Warbler should.  I have seen this multiple times before with Blue winged Warblers and most look like typical Blue winged Warblers.  The other big sighting was the return of at least one and possibly two Cerulean Warblers to Quabbin Park where they have started nesting again in the last few years.  The bird I did get to see did not have any bands (one was banded onsite as part of a Cerulean Warbler study last June and I got to assist...link here banding a Cerulean Warbler).  I have reached out to the biologist conducting the study and hopefully they will attempt to band the new male next week.  I ended the morning with another 20 warbler day.