Of Tanagers and Gnatcatchers - 15 May 2026

I took a drive to Elizabeth Park to see if my (heard) Canada Warbler (from yesterday) might still be around. Radar also showed a big movement of birds overnite so I was also curious if anything new would show.

Arriving at 8:20 am under mostly cloudy skies and 51ºF I walked the trails hoping to find some warblers. The usual suspects were singing this morning, but warblers were scarce. Until I spotted a Black-and-White Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler in the bushes to my left. They were too fast for the camera so I'd have to wait until reached the center trail where a Chestnut-sided Warbler was foraging low enough to photograph. Barely.

Near the west side of the woodlot a pair of Baltimore Orioles were foraging high in the trees. 

I then spotted a pair of female Scarlet Tanagers foraging high in the canopy. I stuck around for several minutes hoping they would come a bit lower, and they did. 

I thought that a male Scarlet Tanager should be around, so I scanned the treetops and spotted this beauty.

I'd spend the next 10 minutes or so photographing both female and male Scarlet Tanager as they made themselves available for my attention.

I'd walk the perimeter of the entire woodlot hoping to pick up some warblers, and managed to hear Tennessee Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, and finally see this Magnolia Warbler. 

Elizabeth Park (Trenton), Wayne, Michigan, US

May 15, 2026 8:20 AM - 9:28 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.86 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Cloudy, 51F
42 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  4
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)  2
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  2
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  2
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)  1
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  1
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  1
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  3
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S339284874

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

It was still early enough so I made a quick run to the Humbug Marsh Unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Walking the Orange Trail (short loop) I found another Scarlet Tanager male. This may be the same individual reported here yesterday.

Warbler activity was quiet and birds were hard to come by. As I walked the west side of the trail, however, a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers got my attention w/ their "Bzzzp" calls. As I looked for them one "fluttered" into view as it attempted to flycatch a meal.

When it landed I was able to get some long-distant photos as it foraged for spiders.

Returning to the car I noticed a few Cliff Swallows foraging near the parking lot so I spent a few minutes practicing flight shots and tracking with the Sony a1 II. The squared tail and white forehead of the Cliff Swallows is a nice contrast to the forked tail and chestnut forehead of the Barn Swallows also flying around. 

Detroit River IWR--Refuge Gateway (Humbug Marsh), Wayne, Michigan, US
May 15, 2026 9:36 AM - 10:04 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.503 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Mostly cloudy 57F, calm
43 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  5
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  1
Eastern Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)  2
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  6
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  2
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  1
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  2
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  2
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  1
Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)  1
Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)  1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  1
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)  2
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  1
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S339316740

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