Late Blue-winged Warbler

Not the bird, but it looked this good!

Last Sunday's weather was stunningly gorgeous. Mid-morning sunlight cascaded through the oak branches on White-throated Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, both kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Hermit Thrushes and other feathered denizens of the woods. Their songs were joyous music. Becky and I thought a quiet trail hike at Governor Nelson's State Park would be a great way to get some exercise and fresh air. Just moments earlier, as we entered the trail, I prophetically announced "By not bringing a camera, we're guaranteed to see something good!" Naturally, it's all good, of course.

I didn't want the burden of lugging the spotting scope and tripod. Sometimes it's ideal to actually go bird watching, for a change of pace. I enjoyed the relaxed pace and a certain alleviation - the absence of the expectations, when feeling like I need to walk out of the woods with great portraits of birds. Though like most activities that transcend ordinary avocation, I strive to do only as much as comes easy. I've contemplated that I might even be finished digiscoping for the fall. We'll see.

Yards ahead of us birds along the trail flushed deeper into the woods, mostly White-throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes. Much is still very lush and green and it seems like peak color is about a week or so away. Though there are fallen leaves of bright yellow, orange and red dotting the trail, somehow it seems like fall will pass sans fiery hues against crisp blue skies typically observed in southern Wisconsin this time of year.



As we continued down Woodland Trail, we opted to take a side-trail to see the Panther Mounds (water spirit effigy mounds). Approaching a personal memorial in the form of a sheltered bench, my attention was drawn to a small, bright yellow bird foraging in the dense understory. I immediately got on it with my binoculars and saw that it was a beautiful breeding plumage Blue-winged Warbler.

I knew this was a good find and Becky could tell by my voice of its significance. "There, right there - just to the left of the bench...there's a Blue-winged Warbler!" Though we were only several feet away, Becky, on my left, had a partially obstructed view through the vegetation. She could see it hopping branch to branch, but couldn't make the identification. Keeping to the trail, we cautiously moved closer and to the right to gain a clearer vantage. The bird was very active and Becky was still having trouble getting on the warbler with her binoculars. I raised my arm to point out (mistake!) its location and the startled bird instantly flew away from us. I still often forget - don't point at the birds, but it's difficult not to when trying to help another birder locate a spry, skulky bird.

We carefully scanned the branches and thicket. Just when I thought we lost the bird, out popped the Blue-winged right in the open on a bare branch in the sunlight about 25 feet in front of us. "There!" I said. The bird was very active and didn't stay perched for long, but it was enough of a look for Becky to concur with my identification. We made sure it wasn't one of the Golden-winged Warbler X Blue-winged Warbler hybrids. No - it was definitely a pure Blue-winged Warbler on October 15th and figured it had to be a record-late.

Annual cycle of breeding, molt, and migration
of the Blue-winged Warbler. Thick lines show
peak activity; thin lines, off-peak. (Cornell's BNA on-line)

Finally, the bird flew away from us down the hillside and I was able to note its white outer tail feathers. We stayed in the area for several more minutes, but couldn't relocate the warbler. We spent the rest of the morning hiking the Woodland Trail Loop and ended up finding a nice mixed flock of sparrows which included an Eastern Towhee and Harris's Sparrow.

When I got home, I posted the Blue-winged Warbler sighting to the Wisconsin Birding Network. And later that day came the confirmation I had anticipated:

Subject: Re: G. Nelson SP - Blue-winged Warbler
From: Bob Domagalski
Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006

If reported to the WSO, with documentation, this Oct. 15th Blue-winged Warbler would go into the state records. At present, there are but 8 valid records beyond September, with only three beyond Oct. 15th.

-- Bob Domagalski, Menomonee Falls

-- eight records beyond September

1. Oct. 1, 1972 - Vernon, Viratine E. Weber
2. Oct. 4, 1992 - Richland, Barbara F. Duerksen
3. Oct. 5, 1997 - Outagamie, Jim Anderson & Steven Petznick
4. Oct. 9, 1959 - Sheboygan, Helmut C. Mueller
5. Oct. 13, 2001 - Washington, Jackie Nooker
6. Oct. 17, 1984 - Ozaukee, William J. Cowart
7. Oct. 31, 1964 - Sheboygan, Helmut C. Mueller
8. Nov. 10, 1978 - Dane, Philip Ashman

Having a record is all fine and well, but it won't compare to the excitement experienced when the view through my binoculars first landed on the Blue-winged Warbler. And to think, with each of the above listed records is a similar thrilling story - imagine Philip's reaction to seeing one on November 10th.

Blue-winged Warbler image © 2006 Mike McDowell