This morning made it official: This is THE best warbler spring in my life. This morning while planting the veggie garden (with binoculars close at hand!), I enjoyed at least nine species. The old apple tree and flowering plums held Northern Parula, Magnolia, Bay-breasted (the first I’ve seen in a few years), American Redstart, Cape May, Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Green. (And a possible Worm-eating. I’m hoping to get a better look.) Nearby were Ovenbirds and Common Yellowthroats - along with Warbling Vireo, House Wren, Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, cardinals, chickadees, Red-winged Blackbirds, grackles, titmice, a passing Red-tailed Hawk, Blue Jays, catbirds, robins and our resident Easter Phoebe.
Any ideas about why this spring has been so amazing? We went to a talk Saturday at Missisquoi by a man who works for Fish and Wildlife and will join The Nature Conservancy next week, and he said this spring - not the last few - is historically normal. We’re all moaning about the long cold spring, but maybe it’s just what so many native plants and returning migrants need. Yes??
Maeve Kim, Jericho Center