We Got Played! No Connecticut Warbler - 26 Sep 2025
A Connecticut Warbler (CONW) was found two days ago in downtown Detroit at Capitol Park (Griswold and Grand River). It was re-found yesterday, then again today at noon by several people. I grabbed the keys and headed down there as fast as I could.
I arrived at the location and parked in the $10 lot across the street where I saw Diane Kovach and Moxie Sylvan. At the park Geoff Clark was searching the grassy patch where Amber Piotter had reported it earlier. We joined him as Diane Miller arrived and together we looked through the monument grasses for the CONW without luck.
A few feet away in the dog park we found several American Redstarts, both female and male.
A large olive-green bird flew into the tree and presented itself as a Common Yellowthroat. Confusing bird #1 as it shows appearance of a CONW but with a bright yellow throat. I'd chase it across the park several times during the visit.
As we continued to scour the small courtyard and its variety of garden plantings I spotted a skulking green warbler with a white eye-ring and quickly called everyone over. The little guy ran through the undergrowth and between plantings and challenged our eyes (and cameras). We were certain it was the Connecticut Warbler. The olive-green body, gray head and bright white eye-ring and grayish throat SEEMED to be diagnostic. But, it looked a bit smaller than expected.
The bird would disappear in front of the six of us for about 10 minutes before reappearing. We then spent another 15 minutes chasing it and getting nice photos from just a few feet away.
Unfortunately, when Moxie posted a photo on Discord it was quickly ID'd as a Nashville Warbler (dark vs. orange legs and light throat). I had just started processing images so I fast-forwarded to the end of my camera roll and quickly confirmed the bird as a Nashville Warbler. I was crushed.
Hoping that it was a second bird I scrolled back to the first bird hoping it was the CONW but it, too was a NAWA. I felt defeated. Diane had mentioned that she thought that it had looked a bit small but walked the entire time it was on the ground. I had agreed. We got played. And I screwed up...
Elation turns to grief. Sorry, all!
Capitol Park, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, US
Sep 26, 2025 12:00 PM - 12:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling0.007 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Sunny, warm, 75F
4 species
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 6
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) 1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
