Blog post by: EBO 2020 Summer Intern, Will Harrod
This past Memorial Day weekend, amidst all of the barbecuing, picnicking and celebrating, I traveled to Presque Isle State Park to go bird watching. I had just arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania and I was excited to see which species I could find on one of the Great Lakes' best birding hotspots. In past years, the end of May marked the end of the bird watching season; as warblers and shorebirds settled into their breeding ranges in the north. However, this year was an exception. As I walked through the winding roads and trails of Presque Isle, I was greeted by a cacophony of songs from birds of all shapes and sizes. I have always had a fondness for wood warblers and I focused on finding as many of them as I could. From high up in the treetops, Blackpoll Warblers sang down to me with their high-pitched, musical notes. From out of the bushes that border most of Presque Isle’s roads and waterways, I was greeted by Chestnut-Sided Warblers and Northern Parulas who looked at me with curious eyes. All around me, Yellow Warblers were singing and hopping around excitedly as they attracted mates and started to build their nests, one of the few warblers that breeds on Presque Isle all summer long. It is an unbelievable experience to be surrounded by the bright colors and musical songs of our wood warblers. Although migration is slowing down, there is still plenty of time to get out there to see warblers this spring.
Here are five tips for finding warblers next time you travel to Presque Isle:
Take note of the weather: Warblers traveling through Presque Isle in the spring are mostly heading to Canada. They are aided along their migration by winds that blow from the south and help push them northward. Going out on a day with strong south winds means that a lot of birds will have migrated the night before and your chances of seeing warblers are much higher. The very best conditions for warbler watching are when south winds suddenly change and all of those migrating warblers become landlocked. Check the local forecast before you go birdwatching in order to have the best experience.
Think about habitat: Most wood warblers do not nest on Presque Isle; instead they use it as a refueling stop along their migration. Many of these birds travel hundreds of miles between stops and this leaves them exhausted and hungry when they land. They are looking for places where they can catch as many insects as possible without spending too much energy. Perhaps the best place for them to do this is along the border between two habitats. Presque Isle has a lot of these, such as the shrubs between the beaches and Peninsula Drive or the trees along the edge of Niagara Pond. These places have high concentration of insects and make perfect refueling spots for warblers. Keep an eye out for transitional habitats as you travel through Presque Isle.
Use your ears: Warblers can be so small and secretive that they are often heard long before they are seen. This makes your ears your best tool for finding them. Warbler songs are famously confusing among birdwatchers but don’t worry, you don’t have to be an expert on telling the difference between warbler songs. Almost all warblers have a signature high-pitched, buzzy quality to their songs and, once you learn this, it becomes a lot easier to find and identify them. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library has thousands of audio recordings and is an excellent resource for learning warbler songs.
Look for movement: Although they are brightly colored, warblers are among the smallest birds we see and this can make them difficult to spot from a distance. Fortunately, they have a habit of moving almost non-stop. Warblers hunt insects and they need to catch a lot of them to survive, especially while they are on migration. They have a very distinctive way of hopping branch to branch in short jumps and never staying still for more than two or three seconds. Once you learn what this looks like, you’ll be able to spot warblers from far away and you’ll be amazed how many are out there.
Talk to fellow birdwatchers: Erie, Pennsylvania has a strong birdwatching community and they are an incredible resource. Talk with birders on Presque Isle and they’ll share tips and locations and techniques to help you find even more warblers. Make sure to follow social-distancing guidelines outlined by the park and Erie County. The website ebird is also an amazing tool that shows live data about when and where birds are seen. Check it out to find hotspots of bird activity and the spots where rare birds are being found.
Good luck in all of your warbler watching endeavors.