Black-throated Blue Warbler (female)
Migratory songbirds got sandwiched between storm cells overnight, resulting in a really good warbler day at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. When I first arrived just after 7:00am, the warblers were flying over the canopy by the dozens. I think they were trying to gain as much ground as they could before the rain hit. Some of the birds foraged frenetically for just a few minutes, but then headed out of the corridor in a southerly direction. Eventually, the downpour arrived so I went to Barriques to wait it out over coffee.
I returned after the rain ended and found warblers all over the place ― some were even collecting food items (downed insects?) on the ground. In the short distance from the entrance to the first bridge I found Golden-winged Warblers, Blue-winged Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, Black-and-white Warblers, many adult male American Redstarts, and a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. I recognized her chip-note and gave a little pish. She flew up to a branch right at eye-level and gave me a great look through my bins. I tallied 16 warblers for the outing, which is my best so far this migration. Winds are out of the northwest tonight and NEXRAD is lit!
Pheasant Branch, Dane, Wisconsin, US
Sep 8, 2015 7:15 AM - 11:00 AM
50 species
Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Golden-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow