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First warbler ever.

16 years ago

This afternoon I saw my first warbler ever. It was a female yellow warbler, so at first I had to make sure it wasn't one of my goldfinches. My Iowa bird book says they should all be gone south by now, but I was luck enough to get a late migrator. We get several warblers in Iowa, but they must prefer more rural areas.

This has been a good year as I've seen several new birds.

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Comments (10)

cjc45
16 years ago
Congrats. Warblers can be hard to tell apart, especially the females so you're doing well to ID.
builder24car
16 years ago
Congratulations! I too had my first one this year. Well actually I've seen several, but always got so frustrated trying to ID them I never took the time to follow up on them. I'm trying to change that. Hopefully you'll see many more warblers! :)
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orrin_h
16 years ago
Iowa gets a lot of warblers between breeders and migrants. I lived there when I first started birding, and though I moved to Tucson a couple of years later, I still managed to compile a pretty decent warbler list there. You might be surprised at what you can find if you hit some wooded areas during spring and fall.

Congrats on the new bird (now you need to find a pretty male Yellow).

-O-
Konrad___far_north
16 years ago
Good for you!....I had fun watching a pair raising a family this summer.

Konrad
organic_bassetlvr
16 years ago
Oh no! Confusing Fall Warblers! Next it will be LBJs-Little Brown Jobs (sparrows), Then if you are at a beach-peeps-the various sandpipers, gulls in all 3 or 4 years of plumage. Pretty soon you're leading bird walks! It's a slippery slope but lot's of fun. People start coming to you and saying "I saw this bird..."
Susan
rachel_frome_ky
16 years ago
LOL Susan!
I remember when I first became "a bird expert."
I'd attended the beginning birder weekends at Jenny Wiley State Park in Prestonsburg, KY, a few years, trying to get in the birding groups with the most experienced leaders so I could learn as much as possible. One year my daughter and I grabbed a seat in one of the boats early to make sure we didn't miss the lake birding outing. When the boats were nearly full, someone asked about our boat's birding leader. The organizer glanced into our boat, pointed at me and said, "You already have one." The next thing I knew, I was a "birding expert," pointing out Common Yellowthroats, Belted Kingfishers, etc...there's always someone more experienced or less experienced that you are, in ANYthing!
Dianne_NY
16 years ago
Congrats! This time of year can be a real challenge.
hawkeye_wx
Original Author
16 years ago
I think I've seen a couple yellow warblers in the yard the last few days, and just this evening I saw a different kind of warbler with a gray head. I wish I had gotten a better look at it. The only option, according to my Iowa birds book, is a female american redstart, but I'm not sure that's it. I hope it comes back tomorrow.
hawkeye_wx
Original Author
16 years ago
I've now seen the new warbler several times and I'm quite sure it is a nashville warbler. Iowa is not in its range on the maps, but they must migrate through here as they head south from Canada to Mexico.

When I initially saw the yellow warblers I assumed they'd be gone south quickly and I was lucky just to get a quick glimpse, but they have been here for two weeks searching for insects on tree and plant leaves.
orrin_h
16 years ago
I just read your first post again and noticed your mention of rural areas. There was a park I used to bird alot in DesMoines, Ft DesMoines park, across the street from Southridge Mall (so not terribly rural). I don't have lists in front of me but off the top of my head I remember seeing Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Magnolia, Black and White, and Palm warblers there. So you don't necessarily have to go too far afield.

-O-

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