With no long van trips planned in our immediate future, day trips have been calling to us. And the Mass Audubon Spring 2024 newsletter enticed us with its recent article, ‘What in the Warblers?’ So, we ventured north to Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary the other day and were not disappointed.
The weather was perfect. The birds, especially the warblers, were plentiful. We identified between fifteen and seventeen species in a span of a few hours. I took photos—mostly blurry ones—to help with identification. I’m not good at identifying many on the spot, so it helps to sit at my computer afterwards with the Peterson Field Guide, zooming in on the images. Here are some of them. They won’t win any photography awards, but at least they’re proof of what we saw. Enjoy!
In case you’re interested, here’s the list. The ones marked with an asterisk (*) are ones I’m not sure I’ve identified correctly.
- Ovenbird
- Chickadee
- Northern Cardinal
- Catbird
- Mallard* (f)
- Bay-breasted Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- American Redstart
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird (m & f)
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Northern Parula
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak (f)
- Black-and-White Warbler (m & f)
- Hairy Woodpecker*
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Magnolia Warbler
- White-throated Sparrow*
Chapter 3 