Warblers the last couple days after a few days of rain

American Redstart, Ware, MA, Sep 8, 2022

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 8, 2022

Black throated Green Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 8, 2022

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 8, 2022

Northern Parula, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 9, 2022

Yellow Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 9, 2022

Canada Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 9, 2022

Nashville Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 9, 2022

After a few days of rainy weather that put a big dent in our drought and brought in a multitude of shorebirds (post #1 and #2 on the shorebirds) the weather changed to sun and winds out of the north or calm the last couple nights resulting in more warbler arrivals with great migration conditions.  The overall numbers and variety were a bit less than expected given the conditions but good nonetheless.  Yesterday I stayed mainly in the local area with visits to Quabbin Park, Ware and Pelham and got a few new warbler species for the month.  Today I spent a few hours at Arcadia before I had to break off the birding a little before 8:30 to go and take a class at work.  It was just starting to really get active when I left so it was hard to pull myself away.  I got a few more warbler species for the month plus my first Cape May Warbler of the fall.  I expect to see a big influx of birds sometime over the next few days as the warbler migration peaks for fall.

September begins

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 2, 2022

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 2, 2022

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 2, 2022

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Sep 2, 2022

With great migration conditions overnight I had high hopes for the morning but my hopes were dashed as I turned up just two species of warblers at Arcadia in almost two and a half hours of walking!  Unfortunately I had other commitments that ended my birding a little after eight so I was unable to try even more areas and recheck other spots after the sun warmed things up a bit (the morning started off at a cool 46 degrees).  There were certainly quite a few birds moving overnight but I definitely picked the wrong spot to check this morning.  After finishing up a class I came home and took Wilson for a walk and we came across a small mixed flock that contained half a dozen species of warbler including my first Bay breasted Warbler of the fall....no good camera on me so no photos from that group of warblers.

Wilson's Warbler, Ware, MA, Sep 1, 2022

Yellow Warbler, Ware, MA, Sep 1, 2022

Prairie Warbler, Ware, MA, Sep 1, 2022

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 1, 2022

Black throated Green Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 1, 2022

Chestnut sided Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 1, 2022

I started out the month yesterday morning with visits to a few spots in my immediate area including Ware and Quabbin Park and these stops were much more productive then this morning.  Although the day started off fairly calm the winds picked up a lot by a little after eight and stayed up all day.  Before the winds picked up I had some good luck with warblers with my first Wilson's Warbler of the fall plus a juvenile Mourning Warbler that popped up ever so briefly.  I had a few warblers in the yard in the afternoon and by the end of the day I had a lucky 13 species of warbler.

Warblers for the end of August

Common Yellowthroat, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Aug 31, 2022

Yellow Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Aug 31, 2022

Common Yellowthroat, Hadley, MA, Aug 27, 2022

American Redstart, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 25, 2022

The end of August has now arrived and the heat of summer is soon to leave us, replaced with the slow cooling of fall.  Although I detest what comes next, fall is a great time for migration and the chance is always there for a rare warbler to show up (especially later in fall).  I expect the first big influx of warblers to arrive by the end of the week with good migration conditions.   August featured an early arrival of both Northern Parula and Tennessee Warbler and I ended the month with 23 species.  The next few weeks should produce the peak of fall warbler migration and by mid month Connecticut Warblers will be moving through in low numbers.  The camera on the water feature is up and running (somewhat) and will hopefully capture some good stuff.

More warblers the last few days

Magnolia Warbler, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Aug 25, 2022

Black and White Warbler, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Aug 25, 2022

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Aug 25, 2022

Black throated Blue Warbler, Cadwell Memorial Forest, Pelham, MA, Aug 25, 2022

Black throated Green Warbler, Cadwell Memorial Forest, Pelham, MA, Aug 25, 2022

Common Yellowthroat, Silvio Conte NWR -Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 24, 2022

Northern Parula, Quabbin Gate 8, Pelham, MA, Aug 23, 2022

Prairie Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2022

American Redstart, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2022

Pine Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, Aug 22, 2022

Northern Waterthrush, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 22, 2022

I have spent the last few morning mainly out looking for warblers and have had some luck as summer rapidly comes to an end and the fall season approaches (although with temps near 90 the last couple days summer does not seem to be waning too much).  Nothing too unusual but some great looks at a variety of species with a notable increase in Magnolia Warblers today.  The weather today was really good for tracking down warblers with clear blue skies and light winds early on.  Mixed flocks are becoming the norm now as many species get ready for migration or are already on their way south.

Warblers during the third week of August

 

Prairie Warbler, Ware, MA, Aug 14, 2022

Common Yellowthroat, Ware, MA, Aug 14, 2022

Northern Parula, Silvio Conte NWR- Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 15, 2022

Canada Warbler, Quabbin Gate 8, Pelham, MA, Aug 16, 2022

Black and White Warbler, Quabbin Gate 8, Pelham, MA, Aug 16, 2022

Black throated Green Warbler, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Aug 16, 2022

Black throated Blue Warbler, Reed Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA, Aug 16, 2022

Chestnut sided Warbler, Arcadia, Northampton, MA, Aug 19, 2022

Northern Waterthrush, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Aug 21, 2022

The third week of August has now come to an end and the warbler migration has continued to pick up with more and more mixed flock in evidence.  A number of early species continue to show up in unusual numbers including Northern Parula and Tennessee Warbler.  Mixed flocks have continued to become more numerous and varied.  I have so far had 23 species of warbler for Hampshire County for the month and I suspect I will add a few more species before the month comes to an end.  

Lawrence's Warbler and multiple early species this morning

 

Lawrence's Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

Lawrence's Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

Northern Parula, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

Tennessee Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

Blue winged Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

Black and White Warbler, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

American Redstart, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

Northern Waterthrush, Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River, Hadley, MA, Aug 13, 2022

This morning was a fantastic mid August morning for warblers.  The conditions were good for migration once again overnight and after I got out of work this morning I headed out to see what I could track down and after a couple brief stops I made my way to Silvio Conte NWR-Fort River.  I walked around the loop trail and after initially not having too much on the first third of the trail I found a spot that quickly produced a couple early arrival migrants with a  Northern Parula (a bright individual so different then the one I had a few days before) and a Tennessee Warbler plus a few other species.  Both of these species have given a good early season showing so far.  I then continued my walk and came across a rather uncooperative Mourning Warbler that would just not show very well at all.  I then walked back to where I had the Northern Parula and Tennessee Warbler earlier and I almost immediately got my eyes on a Lawrence's Warbler!  I assume the individual was the same one Ted had in the area three days before (his eBird list).  I got a bunch of photos before the bird disappeared as it had a squabble with an American Redstart.  Lawrence's Warbler is a rare hybrid and very rare in the late summer/fall around here as the birds are silent during this time of year so you just have to be really lucky to stumble across one.  This one is my latest date ever for the hybrid and adds to my sightings of a Lawrence's Warbler that successfully bred in Belchertown and a day in late May when I had two Lawrence's Warblers on the same day.  I have never had three different Lawrence's Warblers in Hampshire County in the same year before.  I continued to find a few more warblers and by the end of my walk I had found a dozen species of warbler (plus a hybrid) with multiple notable species so I was quite happy with my stop.

Black and White Warbler, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 11, 2022

Common Yellowthroat and Tufted Titmouse, Home, Belchertown, MA, Aug 11, 2022

Once I got home I checked the camera at the water feature and found it produced two more warbler species with a Black and White Warbler and Common Yellowthroat on the 11th.  This adds to the two species I had earlier in the week after putting the camera back out on the water feature.