anybody keeping track of the warblers as they arrive?

18 years ago

I know this is probably a post for the bird forums but I also know that lots of you WGers are well rounded and might be able to add a few bits to this.

Was in the spring woods today and managed to catch a glimpse of a VERY tiny sky-blue bird flitting about a pool of water. I was lucky that it had not noticed me and I got a fairly good look at it, only I wasn't as close as I'd like to have been and couldn't make out barring or other helpful field markings. I at first thought it might be a blue-grey gnatcatcher but its tail was a stub, and the color was too intensely blue although the size was about the same. ANd it was hyper like a bg-gc too.

I t actually had just started having a quick bath when it noticed my dog and the gig was up.

All I do know was that it was cream to buff colored on the bottom, sky blue above, looked to be rather plain with no obvious markings (like I said, I couldn't get any closer to be sure) and was NOT an indigo bunting, a blue grey gnatcatcher or an e. bluebird. Cerulean warbler??

Gotta learn my warblers!!!

Comments (5)

catherinet
18 years ago
Hi Dirtgirl,
I don't know my warblers either. Did you happen to notice it's wings? I've never had the luck of seeing a Cerulean. Keep looking. From my books it looks like they have black/white wings with 2 white wingbars. I think I would go crazy if I saw a Cerulean!
Not too much here yet, although this week will probably bring them. I am hearing Bob White's. We have tons of redwing blackbirds, and some meadowlarks and carolina chickadees. I saw a tiny bird in my honey locust, but when I got my binocs up, it was gone. I was thinking kinglet. I usually have to take my birdbook out with me, or I never know what warbler I'm looking at. Oh.....I have been hearing a yellow warbler and maybe a common yellowthroat. Can't wait for all the rest of them!
njtea
18 years ago
This past Monday I had surgery and am now home until the end of May. I scheduled the surgery at this time of the year just so that I could sit home on my front porch with my binoculars and Sibley (and my mug of coffee) watching the warblers come through - trying to commit them (and their songs)to memory. Fat chance of that ever happening.

Yesterday, I had small birds flitting through the spruce trees. At first I thought they were vireos, then I changed to warblers. But another kind birder told me that they could, indeed, have been blue-headed vireos. I was still too shaky to get my binoculars on them.

I do know that pine warblers have come through here already.

I can hardly wait for the more colorful birds to get here!
Related Professionals
Glen Ellyn Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Quincy Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Tomball Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Cudahy Landscape Contractors · Dinuba Landscape Contractors · Little Ferry Landscape Contractors · Louisville Landscape Contractors · Mastic Beach Landscape Contractors · Plainview Landscape Contractors · Vashon Landscape Contractors · Wareham Landscape Contractors · Casselberry Landscape Contractors · Roy Driveway Installation & Maintenance · Cedar Hill Swimming Pool Builders · Malden Swimming Pool Builders
catherinet
18 years ago
njtea,
I hope your surgery turned out okay and you have a full recovery! How smart of you picking this time of year to have it done! Great thinking!
I've noticed that the kinglets really like my scotch pines.....so maybe those are the birds you're seeing? Have fun!
keilamarie
18 years ago
Hi everyone,

I have lots of pine warblers in the woods (our backyard) but the other day one came right up to the window feeding on stuff on the ground and bugs. It was quite funny actually, walking along, peck peck peck...jump up grab a bug that got in his view then back to peck peck peck...jump...snag...LOL

I really had a blast watching! I've seen altogether about 6 but hear many more. I am afraid I would not know the other types of warblers either.

Keilamarie
njtea
18 years ago
Thanks, Catherinet, for your good wishes. It's going much more slowly than I had believed - but then again I'm much older than the last time I had surgery. I know it's hit me harder than I expected 'cause I'm content lying in bed watching "Martha" - and I really don't care for Martha!

It was a shock to learn that I was the oldest patient on the floor - maternity - and that I was even older than the nurses. Oh, well, age has it's privileges and I was treated almost like royalty - it was great!

I'm now certain the birds were blue-headed vireos. I know they were not either kinglet - not small and round enough. I get kinglets in the fall but not often in the spring.

Not a warbler, but an Eastern Towhee was singing this morning here.