Rainy Wave of Warblers - 16 May 2021

A steady overnite rain brought even more migrants to Brownton Abbey this morning. As I lay in bed with Hobie cuddled next to me we looked out the window and enjoyed the cool, moist air and songs of Yellow Warblers, House Wrens, American Robins, Song Sparrows and Northern Cardinals. I even heard a raspy "Wheep" that sounded like a Great-crested Flycatcher but the pitch was low and raspy. I thought maybe Yellow-bellied Flycatcher?

As the light rain subsided I stepped out onto the deck and heard the loud "Tika-Tika-Tika-Che-Che-Che" of a Tennessee Warbler. I grabbed the camera and tromped back to the tree line to see if I could get a pic or two.

Instead, I found myself following what I thought was a female American Redstart,  but ended up being a female Black-throated Blue Warbler (I could only make out white patches on the wings; photo review confirmed BTBW). 

I then spotted a male Magnolia Warbler. Score!

Other warblers bouncing through the canopy included Black-and-White Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Northern Parula with its loud "Zee-zee-zriiiiip" call, and a Least Flycatcher and its "Ch'beek" call.

At one point I had both the Magnolia and Parula on the same branch overhead with their rumps to me and completely frozen in position for several minutes. A Blue Jay was mimicking the resident Cooper's Hawks and must've scared them into freeze position. They never would turn around for better pics.

26300–26398 Higgins Way, Brownstown US-MI (42.1338,-83.2940), Wayne, Michigan, US
May 16, 2021 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Yard watch
12 species

Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  1
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)  2
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  1
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S159826070

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)