Mourning Warbler at Quabbin Park in July!

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, July 2, 2017

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, July 2, 2017

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, July 2, 2017

Mourning Warbler, Quabbin Park, MA, July 2, 2017

I was very surprised this morning as I made my way through Quabbin Park to hear and then see a male Mourning Warbler seemingly trying to set up a breeding territory and find a mate.  As far as I can tell there are no breeding records for the species in the Quabbin area so a very interesting sighting to be sure.  In fact I could not find any records in the immediate area in eBird in either July or August.  No sign of a female but the habitat is right for the species to breed in but his chances of finding a mate this far south and at a fairly low elevation seems quite low.  Full list from the morning at the park with additional photos and some audio clips:  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S37923078