The last Pine Warblers leave Vermont heading South
11-17-2006 - Exctracted from the Bird Blog of The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS)
The Palm Warbler is one of the last wood-warblers to depart Vermont in autumn and one of the first to arrive in spring. Second only to Blackpoll Warbler as North America's most northerly breeding warbler, the species inhabits bogs and fens across the boreal forest of Canada and the northern United States.
A small nesting population occurs in the Yellow Bogs area of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Palm Warblers winter primarily along coastal regions of the southeastern United States and Gulf of Mexico, as well as on islands of the Caribbean Greater Antilles. The species' common name is a misnomer, as few birders ever encounter palm warblers within view of a palm tree. Pastures, dry scrub, and pine woodlands are its primary winter habitats.
Two subspecies, or forms, of the Palm Warbler exist, and they are easily identified in the field. Although their breeding ranges are separate, both occur in Vermont as migrants. The "yellow" Palm Warbler breeds from western Quebec through Newfoundland, including northeastern Vermont. The "western" subspecies breeds from eastern Ontario through Alberta, but is much more common as a migrant in Vermont, especially in fall, with peak migration occurring during October. Yellow Palm Warblers have entirely yellow underparts, while westerns are duller overall, with yellow only on the throat and under the tail. Both forms are characterized by their rusty caps, tail-wagging behavior, and terrestrial habits.
A late western Palm Warbler was observed in Woodstock on Nov. 7. Very rarely, this species lingers through early winter in Vermont, attesting to its hardiness.
Other notable bird sightings during the past week included numerous reports of Horned Grebes on Lake Champlain and as many as three Red-necked Grebes at various locations statewide. Up to 2,000 Snow Geese continue to be present at Dead Creek in Addison, and birders wanting to see this spectacle should not wait. An impressive southward movement of Black Scoters, with smaller numbers of Surfs and White-wingeds, was noted on Lake Champlain. Additional waterfowl observed on the lake were up to 40 Brant and a single Common Eider, the latter a very unusual occurrence in Vermont, being found almost exclusively in coastal areas.
American Pipits continue to move through the state, with 100 near Kingsland Bay State Park on Oct. 29 and 30, in Grand Isle on Nov. 2. Late migrant sparrows included three Chipping Sparrows in Proctor and two Vesper Sparrows in Charlotte. American Tree Sparrows have arrived en masse from their subarctic nesting rounds and are now the dominant sparrow statewide. Snow Buntings have appeared at scattered locations, foreshadowing the oncoming winter.
You can explore all the birds reported last week in Vermont and add your own sightings at www.ebird.org/vins.
Chris Rimmer, Conservation Biologist - VINS)
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