Warbler Guy, tell me if migrating Kirtland's Warbler have returned to breeding grounds? Kirtland's Warbler migration in spring originates from where?

Jasper (in S. Carolina), given Kirtland's Warbler typically annually nests ONLY in Michigan and Wisconsin in the USA (and in one spot within Ontario, Canada), here's where I check this month to note when this federally endangered species has returned:

1. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10366_54559_10402-357409--RSS,00.html

The contact you may wish to query:

Keith Kintigh, 989-619-2296

2. Wisconsin's web site (via its DNR) does not post updates of detected Kirtland's Warbler for the current nesting season, so the best way is to watch its birding listserv updates via the "Wis Birds List Serv" -- a term you should Google to subscribe.

Then you'll be able to see the sightings of birders who post.

3. As for Ontario, I'm not aware anyone or any agency provides information for this area's potential Kirtland Warbler nesters.

Meanwhile, have I heard about Kirtland's returning yet this May? -- based on the typical pattern of arriving around this date annually in Wisconsin (e.g., Adams County appears to sustain an annual nesting population of Kirtland's Warbler within Jack Pine stands.)

No...but I'm checking the Rare Bird Alerts, including #2, above.

I'll post here again this breeding season, if and when I hear about Kirtland's sightings in the above locations.

Happy Birding to all, Daniel

warblerwatch.com (features my "Birding Tours" information based on my 25+ years of leading hikes and tours)

Warbler Guy, I'm traveling in search of warblers this spring: Where do I find warbler sightings online? Warbler observations are present at one web site? Rare Bird Alerts post warbler sightings?

Yes, Harold:

There's a one-stop shop for all your warbler watching needs at:

http://birdingonthe.net/hotmail.html

Look by region on the home page menu for the area to which you are traveling.

So, for example, at the above web link, pretend you're traveling to Michigan this spring.

Your aim is to find the Kirkland's Warbler that typically nests among 10 north-northcentral Michigan counties.

Look for this area on the web link and go through the dates to check potential recent sightings.

Easy, correct?

At Warbler Watch, we aim to please.

The birder customer is always correct.

Regards, Daniel

warblerwatch.com ("Birding Tours" area provides details related to my Bird Guiding/Bird Tours
that I offer throughout northern and central California, including the San Francisco Bay Area)

Warbler Guy, are any new "splits" or "lumps" of species proposed for birds this year? Will the annual American Ornithologists' Union name changes happen soon?

Norm (in Manhattan):

GREAT question and the best answer for Warbler-Philes is an easy one: No wood-warbler family (Parulidae) changes proposed, BUT (drum roll for Corvid and Fringillid fans):

- "Woodhouse" Western Scrub-Jay subspecies could be elevated to species rank, per a current proposal; and

- Lump of Common and Hoary Redpoll is also in the proposal stage.

That's your "elevator" pitch summary, if you wish the simple answer.

There's more details for other taxa/proposals, below....and ALSO at the following link:

http://www.gizard.org/nacc/proposals/PDF/2016-A.pdf

Warbler Guy, how about an update on new warbler names? Any names for warblers change recently?

That's a great question, Erica (in Reno).

No proposed wood-warbler names or lumping/splitting of the current taxonomy in the wood-warbler family (Parulidae) that I can detect.

See the below web site link # if you’re interested in current proposals the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) may approve/disapprove by July, 2016.

http://www.gizard.org/nacc/proposals/PDF/2016-A.pdf

Regards to all, Daniel Edelstein

warblerwatch.com (for free birding information as well as my "Birding Tours" overview at the home page)

http://warblerwatch.blogspot.com

#7 WOOD-WARBLER Photo Quiz (Quiz Yourself, If You Please)

#7: WOOD-WARBLER Photo Quiz (Quiz Yourself, If You Please)

Can you identify the wood-warbler species in the five (5) photos, above?

(Hint: There only four total species among the five photos.)

Answers will be posted here in my next article that will appear no later than 1/5/10. Please check back, in addition to noting my "2016 Nature Watch Calendar" at:

warblerwatch.com

Regards, Daniel

415-382-1827 (CA/PT)

Answer To Current Quiz In Right Column Here: BELOW (Drum Roll.....)

....Wilson's Warbler....More details related to this question follow:

Although a few Wilson's Warbler remain during the non-breeding season in the SF Bay Area/N. CA, the vast majority are neotropical migrants that vacate the area and typically begin returning AFTER Orange-crowned Warbler return as the area's INITIAL returning nesting wood-warbler species.

(Above, Wilson's Warbler)

The above note is an oversimplification of a more complex dynamic......given some Orange-crowned Warbler individuals ALSO remain during the non-breeding season.

Hence, in general, the order of returning wood-warbler species beginning in February annually:

1. Orange-crowned

2. Wilson's

3. Black-throated Gray

4. Yellow, Hermit, Yellow-breasted Chat, MacGillivray's (various order of appearance depending on the year.....though, usually, they are later than #1-#3, above).

Nashville also pass through, sometimes, but they do NOT typically nest along the coast.

What about Northern Parula you ask? Indeed, for at least three consecutive years, a documented nesting site was detected in W. Marin Co. (near SF).....but I would hesitate to suggest this species is annual in the Bay Area.

Please feel free to correct me if you have different information.

I'm always glad to be updated. Regards and happy spring birding, Daniel

warblerwatch.com (hosts my "Birding Tours" information related to my birding tour services that include 7 trips in April and several more in May both in N. CA and in Wisconsin, given I'll be co-leading trips at the annual Wisconsin Society for Ornithology conference.

Warbler Guy, I saw your San Francisco birding tours note you have seen nesting warblers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The San Francisco Bay Area has warblers nesting here?

Horatio (in Sunnyvale, CA):

Yes, depending on your perch in the SF Bay Area, there's both resident, year-round wood-warbler species as well as neotropical migrants that return annually to nest here.

The following list, below, is a simplified, non-detailed overview of the nesters in Marin County without providing details:

(Note the * = nester as a spring/summer resident and # = a year-round nester that is resident year-round. In addition, it's important to realize that a few individuals of all wood-warblers in the Bay Area may persist throughout the non-breeding season (though the vast bulk of the * species vacate the Bay Area during the non-breeding season. + = non-breeding season resident only).

* and # Common Yellowthroat (with much of the area hosting two subspecies, including the CA Species of Special concern sinuosa subspecies)

* Yellow Warbler

* Orange-crowned Warbler (Note this species persists in small numbers throughout the "winter," but the large pulse of returning nesters begins in February and peaks in March.)

* Wilson's Warbler

* Yellow-rumped Warbler (ALSO note: LARGE numbers present during the non-breeding season at low elevations, but most of the nesters occur at higher altitudes in select Bay Area locations only.)

* Hermit Warbler

* Black-throated Gray Warbler

* Yellow-breasted Chat (extirpated from portions of its previous breeding range)

* MacGillivray's Warbler

+ Townsend's Warbler 

Regards to you Horatio and all warbler seekers of this special family....Daniel

warblerwatch.com (hosts my bird guiding and birding tour information via the "Birding Tours" section)

415-382-1827, Novato, CA