Warbler Species Beginning to Increase

A full week into September and as expected, numbers have begun to increase in volume and species diversity. A couple of weak cold fronts came through the region this past week bringing in more warbler species and an increase in brown thrush numbers. Nineteen species of warbler were observed or heard this week including Tennessee (TEWA), Nashville (NAWA), Prothonotary (PROW), Yellow (YEWA), Chestnut-sided (CSWA), Magnolia (MAWA), Cape May (CMWA), Black-throated Blue (BTBW), Blackburnian (BLBW), Bay-breasted (BBWA), Blackpoll (BLPW), Black-and-white (BAWW), American Redstart (AMRE), Ovenbird (OVEN), Northern Waterthursh (NOWA), Mourning (MOWA), Common Yellowthroat (COYE), Wilson's (WIWA), and Canada (CAWA).

Blackburnian Warbler (BLBW)
The facial markings and wing bars are clue to this species.

Back of BLBW

 We will start out with a quiz bird:

Note wing bar and streaked breast

 Other warblers of note for the week:

Mourning Warbler
Adult female with split white eye-ring 

Wilson's Warbler - male

Yellow Warbler
Nice adult female with slate gray bill and fine red streaks on breast

More on quiz bird.
This is not the same bird as we showed you above, but it is the same species.

Note: thin pointed bill on small rounded head compared to most warblers which have
larger bills and heads

Breast of this species always has fine streaking in both spring and fall season

Quiz bird revealed: Cape May Warbler (CMWA)
 Adult male in this photo. On most CMWAs in fall you notice a
shadow of their auricular patch (cheek).

The Cape May is often referred to as a "Gypsy" warbler as it follows Gypsy Moth and other insect outbreaks in its boreal habitat. It can be extremely common or quite rare on any given fall due to this behavior.

Numbers of birds should continue to increase this coming week as the Blackpoll begins to arrive in volume. Thrushes will also increase and we will provide a comparison of our brown thrushes next week in this Blog. 

The coming week may also the last of some of the flycatchers, orioles and CSWA, CAWA, and YEWA. Enjoy the beauty of the season!