[wisb] Warblers in Chippewa Falls (long)
- From: just4birds@xxxxxxx
- To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:44:54 -0500
As many of you are aware, migrating warblers are on the move. Normally
I would have been out in the field the last two mornings. However, I
was at home instead enjoying armchair birding, where my wife and I
were able to witness a most remarkable warbler movement just outside
our windows.
Over the last 25 years, we have had sporadic good warbler action in
the fall at our birdbath and more recently a small water feature just
beside our house, but we never experienced what we have seen in the
last two days. Not a lot of species (only 11 total), but more birds
than we could count.
Yesterday we had the biggest single flock of warblers at one time we
have ever seen here. We originally estimated this flock at over 50
birds. However, after reviewing about 10 minutes of video I took while
this flock was frenetically coming in to bath, I now estimate the
number present at one time was closer to 80. This flock was present
around 11 AM. Off and on for most of the rest of the day, there were
visits by 1-5 birds. 75-80% were Tennessee with most of the rest
Nashville. I have a still image taken from the video that shows one
photo with19 warblers bathing together in an area about 1 meter square.
Although we didn't see a single flock that large, I think today was
even more impressive. From 7 AM this morning until 7 PM tonight,
rarely did 5 minutes elapse without warblers present bathing. Usually
there were 4-5 present, but the number reached 15-20 birds at times.
Either these birds spent a lot of time bathing, or over a thousand
warblers passed through our little suburban yard today and used our
water feature. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but we
are exhausted from trying to keep up. There was more variety today too.
We've witnessed a fallout at High Island and May migration at Magee
Marsh, but the last two days in Chippewa Falls has been just as
spectacular.
Bruce Steger
Chippewa Falls
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