April 30 2012. Yesterday I wrote about the approaching masses of birds that can be detected by radar on the National Weather Service website. This morning as it was getting light I checked the site and saw a large blue blob of life forms amassed over the south shore of, and extending out into, Lake Erie. I was pretty sure that indicated a large influx of birds would be on this side of the lake too.
I spent the morning at the bird observatory and did my usual census rounds; sure enough newly arrived bird life was everywhere. I now suspect that most of that blue mass was Yellow-rumped Warblers for I counted 28 on census. There’s more though, a few Black-throated Green Warblers and Western Palm Warblers were mingled with them. I was pleased to hear a couple of Yellow Warblers and an Eastern Towhee and had long looks at a Black and White warbler, a Pine Warbler and several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.
Along the river three Caspian Terns, an Osprey and a Belted Kingfisher were all searching for fish, while the river surface was threaded with skimming Tree, Barn, Bank and Northern Rough-winged Swallows.
I was able to examine two Western Palm Warblers up close and there’s an air of simple nonchalance about them that I find engaging. They’re colourful, but not gaudy; in spring they sport a rich chestnut cap, which coordinates nicely with the bright yellow throat and under-tail, and the rural, streaky earth tones overall. They’re unconcerned by people watching them and they bob their tails like a pipit as they pick at the ground. Palm Warblers seem to prefer open areas with shrubs and scrub, more like where you’d expect to find sparrows.
There are two races of Palm Warbler, our Western Palm, which generally migrates later in the spring (April/May) and moves west of the Appalachian Mountains, and the eastern Yellow Palm Warbler which heads north in late March and early April. The Yellow Palm Warbler is also, as its name suggests, a lot yellower in colour. Local bird specialists say we get the western version and I see no reason to disagree; all the clues fit. Whichever race, I like the Palm Warbler enough to have inwardly cheered when I saw them; a sign that they must be my bird of the day.
Footnote. This is a little off topic but important nevertheless. I will be one of a team of keen birders taking part in the Baillie Birdathon sometime during the week of May 12. It’s a fundraiser and I’m looking for sponsors. My goal is $500 and proceeds go to Bird Studies Canada and Ruthven Park Bird Observatory. One regular reader has already made a generous donation; yours would be appreciated too. More on this and how to help at the Baillie Birdathon site or the Ruthven site.