CONFUSING FALL WARBLERS?

A female Redstart, photo (in the fall) - courtesy, Sharon Milligan
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GAILY GILDED "COME-HITHER" BUTTERFLIES OF THE BIRD WORLD HAVE HOOKED MANY A BIRDER

Warblers are come-hither birds. I know. I was led down the garden path on a long-ago March morning by an incandescent sprite known as a Prothonotary Warbler, and I have not been the same since.

I overcame the lust I felt for dirty dishes and unmade beds and I cut the cord from the PTA. I forsook the afternoon suds bath in front of the TV and became a leading proponent of any meal that could be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

With the time I saved, I watched the birds.

Until the day of the Prothonotary Warbler, mine had been a passing passion for Purple Finches and Chipping Sparrows, the birds of the backyard feeder. I would like to believe that I could have turned it off at any time. It was that Prothonotary Warbler, though, colored moon yellow, dancing through flickering shadows in a ditch full of elephant ears, that did me in.

Many a veteran birder can reach back in memory to the time and the place and the particular bird that likewise did him, or her, in. In so many cases, the turn-on bird has been a gaily gilded warbler of spring.

From the day of one’s first Blackburnian Warbler in the treetops, or one’s first Ovenbird mincing upon a woodland floor, life changes. It becomes better!

Roger Tory Peterson called them “brightly colored birdlets”. Someone (I wish it were I) once called them “butterflies of the bird world”.

Objectively, warblers are small, fast moving, insect-eating birds. They are intricately patterned and brightly plumaged. Thirty-nine of them occur in Mississippi’s coastal counties at some time during the year. Three of them are permanent residents. They live here and breed here. Ten others arrive in the spring, remain to breed and depart in the fall. Three others join our permanent residents over the winter.

The majority though -23 of them – are called transients. They merely pass through or fly over the Coast during spring and/or fall migration.

Unfortunately, the suggestion that one actually should try to identify fall warblers strikes terror into the hearts of all but the most dedicated birders. The turn-on birds of spring have suddenly become the turn-off birds of fall!

There is no reason to be more than mildly catatonic at the prospect of meeting the fall warblers. So, such warblers are not always dressed for instant recognition! So, some males lose their “emperor’s clothes” of spring!  So, females are slightly more nondescript than they are at other seasons! Don’t be discouraged!

If the dice are loaded against the birder by the overwhelming numbers of young birds that rarely resemble either of their parents, that sweetens the challenge! If the odds are lengthened by birds that won’t hum a few bars of their personal serenatas, one should not abandon all hope.

Success is the reward of the determined. Most males retain some of their identifying marks, and to a lesser extent, so do the females. One who has seen a warbler in spring has an edge on identifying that same warbler in fall.

I thought it might help to take a stand against the fear and perpetual confusion which confronts the birder who is confronted by a fall warbler. Hence, the lists!

The accompanying lists are of warblers

Confidence should be gained by noting that those “identified without difficulty” make up the largest group. Those with an asterisk to the right of the name are either rare here, or unlikely to be seen in the fall.

Under the “moderately difficult” heading, judicious use of a field guide should help.

Those termed “a little more difficult” are not really difficult at all after you’ve seen them a few times.

In the “difficult” list, the chances are good that one could go through an entire fall and not agonize over any of them. Either they are rare here at any time, or rare here in fall.

When approached from the point of view that at least some of the fall warblers are readily identifiable, fall warbler-watching can take on a whole new perspective. For every birder who has been turned on by a spring warbler, as I was, there are many others who give up too fast… are turned off permanently by the idea that fall’s birds are a rush of confusing and uncooperative youngsters.

One should try to remember that every warbler that is properly identified is effectively eliminated from the remaining birds. I once wrote that “elimination is the key to serenity.” Bear that in mind when agonizing over the next bird you see.

Once, after returning from New England, (Mass), I would like it known that I stumbled badly over fall Blackpoll Warblers and was embarrassed to the core by a Bay-breasted Warbler.

Many fall warblers go unidentified, even by those of us who are considered proficient. One should not feel defeated when up against the anonymous hordes of fall. It would be short-changing oneself to give up too soon, because the “come hither” birds of spring are equally as enticing in autumn.

IDENTIFIED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY

Black and White Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

Swainson’s Warbler

Worm-eating Warbler

Golden-winged Warbler*
Blue-winged Warbler
Yellow Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler (male)*
Black-throated gray Warbler*

Yellow-throated Warbler

Palm-Warbler

Ovenbird

Northern Waterthrush

Louisiana Waterthrush

Kentucky Warbler

Common Yellowthroat (male)
Yellow-breasted Chat
Hooded Warbler (male)

Canada Warbler

American Redstart

Cerulean Warbler (male)

MODERATELY DIFFICULT

Nashville Warbler*

Northern Parula

Black-throated Blue Warbler (female)

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Cerulean Warbler (female)

Blackburnian Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler (immature)

Pine Warbler

Common Yellowthroat (female)

Hooded Warbler (female)

A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT

Tennessee Warbler

Orange-Crowned Warbler

DIFFICULT!

Cape May Warbler*

Townsend’s Warbler*

Bay-breasted Warbler*
Blackpoll Warbler*

Connecticut Warbler*

Mourning Warbler*

Wilson’s Warbler (immature)*

* Rare in this area, or unlikely to be seen here this time of year.

NOTE: This Saturday (September 3rd 2016   8.30-11am) Mississippi Coast Audubon Society will host a workshop led by Dr. Mark Woodrey. This workshop teaches how to lead nature field trips and is appropriate for all who are interested (Scout Leaders, Master naturalists, and Birders)
Meet at Ms State University Coastal Research and Extension Centre) 1815 Popp's Ferry Rd, Biloxi.