Warblers are the colorful songbirds that delight us when we see them. Birdwatchers, especially, love to identify warblers that cross their paths.
The trouble is that warblers can be hard to spot and hard to identify when you do see them. They tend to stay up in the canopy and flit around, moving constantly. A blur of color high up in the trees might be all that you see.
But warblers migrate. There are no warbler species that winter here in the Adirondacks and this opens two short windows when your odds of seeing them are better. In the spring the males are at their most colorful and they tend to sing loudly to establish territories and attract mates. The period between when they arrive, and when the leaves fill out, is one of the best times to see them. This period usually lasts for a couple of weeks but varies depending on weather conditions. Species that pass through the Adirondacks headed for nesting grounds further north can also be seen during this time. When migrating birds encounter bad weather they sometimes stop over for a day or two to rest up and wait for better conditions.
However, my favorite time for seeing warblers is in late summer and early fall. Both the migrating species and the locals exhibit a behavior that makes finding them much easier. Migrating warblers tend to join up in mixed flocks with species that over winter here: chickadees, kinglets, and nuthatches. And these mixed flocks move around feasting on berries, seeds and insects. Chickadees are gregarious and watchful and the warblers apparently get the benefit of their local knowledge. During the migration period chickadees arriving in the trees overhead will oftentimes be followed by a stream of small birds, commonly including warblers, vireos and other migrators.
There is a catch to watching for warblers in the fall. In many species the eye-popping coloration that makes them so interesting is dulled, and females and juveniles of various species can look very similar, making identification difficult. You need to look closely and focus on key differences to know what you are seeing. On top of that, some birds will be molting and this gives them a disheveled appearance that can add to the confusion. Yellow-rumped warblers are common and they head south later than many other species. So they tend to be molting at the time when northern migrants arrive. This is a clue you can use to identify yellow-rumped warblers when you spot weird looking small birds that look like they've just been through a blender.
Blackburnian Warbler, male, spring plumage, Lake Eaton
You never forget your first Blackburnian Warbler.
Yellow Warbler, Male, spring plumage (2 above), Tupper Lake Bike Trail
American Redstart, male, Tupper Lake Bike Trail
The redstart is common and oftentimes less wary than other warbler species. The males maintain their colorful plumage throughout the summer.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, male, spring plumage, Tupper Lake bike trail (2 above)
Palm Warbler, Massawepie, male, mating plumage (2 above)
The Palm Warbler is rarely seen south of the Adirondacks and is often listed among the boreal species that bring birders to the Adirondacks. Massawepie, near Tupper Lake may be the best place in the Adirondacks to spot Palm Warblers. If the black flies are out, so are the Palm Warblers at Massawepie.
Not sure what this one is but I love the picture
Northern Parula, Long Lake, male, spring plumage
Oven Bird, Long Lake, Male, spring plumage.
Male Ovenbirds have a small orange spot on top of their heads. This is oftentimes difficult to see.
Black and White Warbler, female (I think), Long Lake
Black and white warblers keep the same plumage year round.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Massawepie
Yellow-rumped Warblers may be the most numerous warbler nesting in the Adirondacks. They arrive early in spring and remain later into the fall than other warblers.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, molting in mid-September, Tupper Lake Bike Trail
Black-throated Green Warbler
Another common Adirondack warbler. They join in the mixed foraging flocks in anticipation of the migration to come.
Nashville Warbler, Fall migration, Long Lake
This species nests far to the north of the Adirondacks and is typically seen only during migration.
Common Yellowthroat, female, fall
Brightly colored and common, Yellowthroats forage on the ground. If you see a warbler-like bird bouncing around in the understory it is most likely a Yellowthroat.
Nashville Warbler, immature
This is where it gets tricky. I think this is an immature Nashville Warbler but there are several other possible candidates.
Black and White Warbler
This one, at least, I can always be sure of.
Palm Warblers talking amongst themselves
The white feathers on the outside of the tail feathers are the clue I'm using for this ID.
Red-eyed Vireo, not a warbler
Like the warblers Red-eyed Vireos migrate and they sometimes join in foraging flocks with the other small migrators.
Blue-headed vireo, Moose Pond (Santanoni)
