Warblers on my annual breeding bird survey route yesterday

Northern Yellow Warbler, Breeding bird survey stop #40, Monson, MA, Jun 6, 2026

Prairie Warbler, Breeding bird survey stop #34, Monson, MA, Jun 6, 2026

Yesterday I completed my annual breeding bird survey route that runs from Belchertown down to the Connecticut line.  It is part of a large number of survey routes that have been run for many years (my particular route has been conducted since 1967) looking at changes over time of breeding species.  All breeding bird survey routes consist of 50 three minute stops every 1/2 miles.  Given the time limits built into the route there is little time for photo ops but I managed a few snaps of some birds including some warblers.  Overall for the route this year I found 14 species of warbler with the three most common warbler species being Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat and American Redstart.  Several species only occurred at one or two stops along the route and I got one later migrant with a Blackpoll Warbler.  A full link to the trip list on eBird can be found at the following link: BBS 2026 trip report. and more on the overall survey at the following: breeding bird survey 2026.

Warblers on my Breeding Bird Survey route

Chestnut sided Warbler, BBS stop #34, Monson, MA, Jun 2, 2024

Prairie Warbler, BBS stop #34, Monson, MA, Jun 2, 2024

Blue winged Warbler, BBS stop #15, Palmer, MA, Jun 2, 2024

I conducted my Breeding Bird Survey route for my 15th year in a row today and I had a record setting total of 84 species over the course of the morning.  Among the 84 species were 16 species of warbler, including a new species for me on the route with a Northern Waterthrush.  During the enter time the route has been in existence (since 1967) a total of twenty species of warblers have been recorded, with the only species I have never had along the route being Golden winged Warbler which was recorded just once along the route and that was way back in 1968.  Sadly each passing year brings more and more new houses along the route and less and less good habitat for birds, especially those that need more forest habitat. Due to tight time constraints during the survey I have little time to get photos of many of the birds I come across so getting any species to cooperate in the few minutes I'm at each location is a treat.

Mid June warblers

Yellow Warbler, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jun 16, 2020

Yellow Warbler, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jun 16, 2020

Yellow Warbler, Honey Pot, Hadley, MA, Jun 16, 2020

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jun 16, 2020

Lawrence's Warbler, Belchertown Land Trust Trail, Belchertown, MA, Jun 16, 2020

The migrant warblers have now all moved through and the remaining warblers are here to breed and raise another generation.  Lots of birds actively feeding young or still sitting on nests with the first fledglings expected any day now.  I spent part of the morning looking for any remaining unusual warblers, which this year means the Hooded Warbler in Hadley and the Lawrence's Warbler in Belchertown.  I searched for the Hooded Warbler at first light with no luck at all so it appears it was just around for a couple days (June 7 and 8) and has not been reported since.  My best guess is that it moved on to another area in search of a mate....a tough proposition at the northern extreme of their breeding range around here.   I had better luck with the Lawrence's Warbler, finding it in the same area where I first found it on May 5th.  Still no indication it has found a mate but I will keep looking.

American Redstart, Ware, MA, Jun 14, 2020

I recently completed my annual breeding bird survey route on Sunday and as always there were warblers along the route with a dozen species found.  The most abundant warblers were Ovenbird (present at 64% of stops) and Common Yellowthroat (present at 52% of stops).