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).
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.
I finally bit the bullet and made the long, two hour drive south to a small park in Vero Beach called Toni Robinson Waterfront Trail where a Swainson's Warbler was discovered by a great birder named Will about a week and a half ago. I almost went the day after it was reported but could not get everything to come together. I reached out to Will (who I first met on a prior trip to Florida) regarding details on the bird and he graciously provided them. He said he knew of only one other person who tried to relocate it (and failed). I knew it was a long shot but overwintering birds can certainly stick around if the habitat provides what it needs. I was out the door very early (prior to 5AM) and I arrived at the location a bit before 7AM and it was a bit breezy. I checked a few spots in the small park for other birds before settling in to look for this very skulky species. After about 45 minutes of looking and listening I had brief looks at it before it disappeared. As I waited for it to appear I had other warblers moving around including my first Black throated Blue Warbler for the year as well as a banded Northern Parula. I also had at least Ovenbird and about a half hour after initially seeing the Swainson's Warbler it flew in briefly to interact with the Ovenbird. Unfortunately no luck getting any photos. The tiny park produced eight species of warblers overall. Although I have seen Swainson's Warbler outside the US this was my first one I have had here. The Swainson's Warbler became the 50th warbler species that I have ever had in the US and became warbler species #28 for me in Florida.
Since I was already very far south I decided to stop at another spot that Will had some great warblers recently. The spot was Fort Drum Conservation Area located in Yeehaw Junction (really!). Without having a day use permit I had to make the long walk into the most productive spots. The wind continued to be an issue and only got worse. Nonetheless there were still birds to be seen. I eventually made it down to a small lake (Horseshoe Lake) where a Louisiana Waterthrush was found by Will and the bird was still there and fairly cooperative eventually. I got some recordings, photos and video. As I was watching the waterthrush a small mixed flock was moving through and it included another rarity with a Magnolia Warbler (this bird was seen briefly and then never seen again). I continued walking various trails and came across a few mixed flock and the number of Black and White Warblers was impressive. I also added American Redstarts to my year list with at least three present. I had a dozen species of warbler (three new ones for the year) during my time at the conservation area before I started the long drive back home.
For the entire day I had a total of 16 species of warblers...my best day by far for the entire trip.
