Warbler Guy, how do I know if warbler migration is strong? Migrating warblers are more dense on some spring days than other ones?

Good question, Hector (in Toledo, OH)

One that I recommend: Birdcast.info

(with the following pictorial graphic a past example from its web site) 

At the above link, you'll read about the current week's presence of migrators and predictions.

It is a great resource, given the BirdCast forecast highlights migrant species that you can expect to see near where you live (and elsewhere in Ohio) — in addition to several USA regions: Upper Midwest and Northeast; Gulf Coast and Southeast; Great Plains; and West. 

Regarding your question, depending on the season (and several other factors), Birdcast can help you anticipate the density and abundance to expect on an upcoming birding outing. For example, a large arrival of transient migrant songbirds could be expected for your outing, if the red/purple colors are present just south of you in the spring while a south "Gulf Stream" wind occurs. In turn, this push may result in fine birding the following morning after you view this development (at Birdcast).

I hope this answer helps you.....Feel free to float me more questions at DanielEdelstein@att.net or visit my web page for more migration information related to "Bird Arrival Times (Via Migration) For Marin Co. (where I live in the San Francisco Bay area) at WarblerWatch.com (choose the "Birding Links" pulldown menu and click on the above category: "Bird Arrival Times".

As for my birding tours that I continue to host while employing several social-distancing methods, details are noted via the "Birding Tours" section at my web site (WarblerWatch.com).

Regards and Happy New Year to you and all my followers.....Daniel

 

Warbler Guy, is it unusual to see wood-warblers at backyard seed feeders? Wood-warblers at feeders I can expect to see?

 Jerry (in southern Michigan).....Great questions. 

Answer:

In your area this time of year, I'd expect potential seed feeder sightings from a lonely, uncommon Pine Warbler or Yellow-rumped Warbler.

In the West along coastal California, it's not common, but Townsend's Warbler could show up along with Yellow-rumped.

Yellow-rumped subspecies in the lower 48 states —both Myrtle and Audubon's — are able to digest waxy coatings on seeds (such as privet and wax myrtle berries), unlike most other wood-warbler species....and they also seem to have hearty digestive juices to process seeds (as does Pine).

Otherwise, I have to admit in my 40 years of birding, I've never seen any other species at seed feeders.....though nectar feeders sometimes coax Cape May Warbler, among others.

As an FYI, I'm soon leading a tour to Bodega Bay, so I'll stop at Diekmann's Store in this town. Below its foundation on the adjoining hillsides that slope downward toward Bodega Bay, the understory this time of year, typically attracting wood-warbler species such as Townsend's (non-breeding resident) Orange-crowned (breeding resident, with some "over-wintering,") and/or Yellow-rumped Warbler (primarily, the Audubon's subspecies: Setophaga coronata auduboni with S. c. cornonata (Myrtle subspecies of the Yellow-rumped Warbler).

Bodega Bay, by the way, is one of the most popular birding destinations for the birders I lead on tours throughout central and northern California.

Thus, feel free to see the "Birding Tours" section of my web site: WarblerWatch.com

Regards, Daniel Edelstein

WarblerWatch.com

415-382-1827 (office)

415-246-5404 (iPhone 12 Pro)

Warbler Guy, I am in California and beginning a "Big Year" of birding in 2021, but I'm staying in California for all my forays. Hence, which resource will help me see documented bird observations in each CA county, please?

Hello Corey (in Santa Barbara):

Kudos to you....Sounds exciting.

Answer:

County by county lists of sightings for CA appear via John Sterling's home page at:

http://www.sterlingbirds.com/california_county_birding_intro.html

See the link to a file here and, then, go to each of the CA counties to which you will visit.

I hope this helps!

Regards, Daniel Edelstein

Birding Guide

& 

Consulting Avian Biologist

WarblerWatch.com

(hosts my "Birding Tour" information as well as diverse birding information for N. CA)

WarblerWatch.blogspot.com (this blog's #)

415-382-1827 (office)

415-246-5404 (iPhone)

Warbler Guy, which is the ONE wood-warbler field guide to buy a friend for the upcoming holiday season?

 

Good question, Joey (in St. Paul):

Unwrapping your holiday gift is likely to result in euphoric glee, if you give your friend the The Warbler Guide (Tom Stephenson and Scott Whittle; Princeton Univ. Press, 2013)

It's the most current, comprehensive field guide focusing on the New World wood-warblers in the Parulidae family.

Where to get it?

Nicebooks.com is a wonderful resource, given the total cost for the book, including shipping is featured from low to high price after you type in a book title.

Funny related anecodote.

Tom Stephenson's brother (Mark) lives near me, so we often see each other at vagrant spots while birding along the N. CA coast where I live in Marin Co. (SF Bay Area).

Mark is an excellent birder, who has an equally adept birder son.

Scott Whittle highlighted this guide at a Golden Gate Audubon Society presentation that I attended. Inventive, eloquent speaker. Wonderful.

And so is the field guide.

Happy gift giving.....Regards, Daniel Edelstein

WarblerWatch.com

Birding Guide

&

Avian Biologist (with five federal USFWS survey permits, 

#TE-1017430

415-382-1827

415-246-5404 (iPhone)

Warbler Guy, identifying "Myrtle" vs. "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler is possible by call and song?

 

Good question, Kristen:

Here's one general answer, that I dare say is also an oversimplification of this complex topic.

First, you are probably aware from your smart question that a "call" note is a different and distinct vocalization than a "song," — the latter of which is typically a learned and memorize rendition sung in most cases by males as a rhythmic vocalization of one or more phrases (e.g., think of a loquacious Northern Mockingbird).

A "call" note is one element. 

Most songbirds express one call note, ala your question, above.

Thus: 

Obviously, Yellow-rumped Warbler individuals are NOT currently 
singing during the non-breeding season, but you do often hear 
their loud chip or call notes where the subspecies Audubon’s 
and Myrtle Yellow-Rumped Warbler forage during the non-breeding season.

This is the case throughout the San Francisco Bay area 
where I live. In the fall and through March (and, even, 
into April), most of the Yellow-rumped Warblers seen 
and heard occur as the Audubon's subspecies. 
Sometimes, I am able to spot a Myrtle 
subspecies individual....though for every, 
say, 100 Audubon's I see in the SF Bay 
Area, approximately one is a Myrtle subspecies.

(Note the Audubon's subspecies nests in 
a few higher elevations in the SF Bay Area, 
including Marin County where I live (20 miles 
north of the Golden Gate Bridge).)

In many cases you can hear how the Myrtle 
(one of the subspecies of the Yellow-rumped 
Warbler species) has a flatter and softer 
chip note than the Audubon’s.
The “ch” component of the call note is 
weaker for the Myrtle and it often gives 
many calls in rapid succession.

However, be careful. Intergrades (individuals 
that display visual characteristics specific 
to both Audubon’s and Myrtle) may 
announce call notes of the other subspecies. 
In other words, it’s possible to see a bird that 
looks like an Audubon’s, but it’s call note 
sounds like a Myrtle. This individual could 
likely be an intergrade.

Regards, Daniel

warblerwatch.com
(hosts my resume and my "Birding Tours" 
information for N. and Central CA tours that 
I have conducted since 2001)

Warbler Guy: What happens to vagrant warblers at Point Reyes and other migrant traps that jut southward into the open Pacific? Do most of them manage to redirect themselves back to the coast and make their way south in the morning? Or does their misorientation lead many of them to a watery death far out at sea, unless they should choose to winter on the mainland?

 Good question, Joshua, as now is the prime time to see vagrant (accidental arrival) warblers at the Outer Point within Pt. Reyes National Seashore, Marin Co., CA.

Given this is a venue to which I often guide birders that enjoy a foray with me, the best time to see vagrants is now and through October. (The typical range of seeing so-called East Coast & Midwestern warblers out of range and as vagrants on the West Coast at the Outer Point is, generally, August - October (though the peak weeks tend to be mid-September through mid-October, varying by year).

In any event, to answer the gentleman's question from above....

I bow to several resources as evidence for the answer:

The majority of warblers meet a sad fate after you see them at the Outer Point area:
Neverland is their destiny, given they often keep flying over the ocean.
Their R.I.P. epitaph is simply a tuckered and tired path to oblivion. 

Sad, as I wrote.

Rich Stallcup, bless our passed ornithological mentor and bellwether pioneer in myriad ways,
often posited the above note about the sad death of warblers after they hang out temporarily at the Outer Point (most noticeably amid Monterey Cypress trees that offer shelter and food resources amid the dairy/ag farms dominating the Outer Point landscape).

Another excellent nearby option for seeing songbird vagrants is among trees at the Kehoe Beach trail area via Pierce Pt. Rd. (Tomales Bay State Park turnoff). Here, Noah Arthur spotted Blackpoll Warbler on 9/20/20.

I myself observed the same species among Monterey Cypress near Muir Beach last week with a couple of other birders. Several other trails in this area are worth checking out for "autumn" vagrants, with several recent observations qualifying as notable, including Yellow-breasted Chat and Connecticut Warbler.

Regards, Daniel

warblerwatch.com

Warbler Guy, does Northern Parula nest in California? -- given the abundant recent sightings during this 2020 summer.

Good question, Peter (in Sebastopol, CA).

Given I have detected this species several times in the last few months — and based on several eBird records this year and previous years in the SF Bay Area and the North Coast — I'm inclined to believe sporadic nesting sites are present.

(Above: male, Northern Parula) 

From June through the present, more than one Northern Parula male has repeatedly sang in the same general area, suggesting potential breeding presence for the region.

A more true measure of validity for the above theory would be if multiple, annual presence is detected in the same spot for this species. That's because a male Northern Parula often returns to the same vicinity — sometimes the same nesting tree (!) — each breeding season.

Successive detection of this species in the same spot has occurred in Marin County where I live, so I suspect this phenomenon may be occurring elsewhere in Sonoma and Mendocino County (north of Marin County) this year.

Meanwhile, I'll be out listening among willow groves and other typical spots on the North Coast.

Regards, Daniel

WarblerWatch.com