Warbler fallout in Michigan (1 Viewer)

[Bill A]

After a cold and generally rather unrewarding spring, conditions were just right for a nice fallout this weekend. In one small park in Ann Arbor MI, as many as 17 warbler species were seen by some in an hour or less. Even I, blundering around, found 14: Magnolia, Palm, Canada, Yellow, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Wilson's, Am. Redstart, Ovenbird, N. Waterthrush, Nashville, N. Parula, Chestnut-sided, and Black and White.

Those of you in the UK or elsewhere in the U.S. where warbler migration is lacking are missing something: These small and in most cases very colorful birds arrive in mixed flocks from points south and can sort of take over an area for a brief period. Quite exciting, especially since otherwise the little critters can be damned hard to find!

Bill

 

[Earthinsong]

Terrific spotting, Bill! I've been having a wonderful time watching the Spring Warblers here in NJ. Found a great area, Garret Mountain, that some say is a sort of "migrant trap". Suffice it to say that the birds are plentiful in number and variety, particularly in May. I spotted most of those that you did, with the exception of Palm, Yellow & Nashville. Also saw Blackburnian, Yellow-rumped, Hooded, Common Yellow-throat, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, & Ruby-crowned Kinglet. This time of year there are also plenty of Orioles (Baltimore), Brown Thrashers and Eastern Towhees. Can't wait to go out again next weekend.

Shalom,
Earthinsong

 

[Wan2caTanager]

That's very exciting! Great spotting! Sounds like it was a wonderful birding day! |=)|

 

[Bill A]

Terrific spotting, Bill! I've been having a wonderful time watching the Spring Warblers here in NJ. Found a great area, Garret Mountain, that some say is a sort of "migrant trap". Suffice it to say that the birds are plentiful in number and variety, particularly in May. I spotted most of those that you did, with the exception of Palm, Yellow & Nashville. Also saw Blackburnian, Yellow-rumped, Hooded, Common Yellow-throat, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, & Ruby-crowned Kinglet. This time of year there are also plenty of Orioles (Baltimore), Brown Thrashers and Eastern Towhees. Can't wait to go out again next weekend.

Shalom,
Earthinsong

Hi Earthinsong,

I've been looking and looking for Blackburnian and Hooded this year to no avail. Have gotten Cerulean, tho'; around here it's early or never with those, since once things have leafed well out, ya just never can see 'em. Yellows have been pretty common, as have BG Gnatcatcher and Kinglets. For some reason, I have not yet seen or ever heard a Towhee yet. Don't know where they're hiding out.

Bill

 

[Katy Penland]

Ooooooo, send us our warblers back!!!! Wow, what a great day, indeed, Bill!

I just read on the AZ-NM birding listserve that even in New Mexico, fallouts are occurring -- 734 Cedar Waxwings?!?!?! I've seen zilch here in AZ. Sounds like everything with feathers is migrating farther east this year. I mean, after a month, I still have 1 feeder up for 4 hummingbirds; usually there are dozens scrapping over 3 feeders by this time. And not a single warbler in the yard although there were a few dozen Yellow-rumps I found scattered around for the NAMC.

 

[samuel walker]

Warbler fallouts are going well now after a nearly non-warbler April. All the usual migrants of the 15 species we get here.We seem to have a larger censes this year of yellow and redstart. I was happy to have seen my first cerulean this past week.I'm hoping the crummy April weather has pushed migration back a week and we can enjoy these wonders until the end of the month.
Sam