Drive through New Mexico yields a few self found rarities and other species -April 11th

Lucy's Warbler, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Northern Parula, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Gambel's Quail, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Say's Phoebe, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Say's Phoebe on nest, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Mexican Duck, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Crissal Thrasher, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Mountains, Mesilla Valley Bosque SP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

 

Cinnamon Teal (with American Wigeon and Black necked Stilt), West Mesa WTP, Las Cruces, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Black throated Green Warbler, Mountain View Cemetery, Deming, NM, Apr 11, 2026

Cassin's Vireo, Mountain View Cemetery, Deming, NM, Apr 11, 2026

After getting to bed early after a long day of hiking I was up early on Saturday to start the long drive toward Arizona with a stop in New Mexico on the way. The first few hours of driving was in the dark on some truly desolate roads…I had less than ten vehicles come by me in the opposite direction in those first couple hours. My plan for the day was to make it to Los Cruces to go to Mesilla Valley Bosque SP to try my luck in tracking down a Lucy’s Warbler for the year. The trip was fairly smooth with only one traffic tie up that didn’t last too long and I made it to the park a little after 8AM (the area is another hour behind from home compared to the hour behind in most of Texas). My legs were still hurting so I had to move slow as I searched for the warbler. As I had never visited New Mexico before even common species were new for me in the state. After about an hour of looking I heard a Lucy’s Warbler singing in an area of mesquite trees and I got some looks at it and some distant photos. There may have been as many as three but there were certainly at least two individuals. I also had a brief look at an Orange crowned Warbler that just wanted to stay hidden. I then spent time waiting to get better photos of the Lucy’s Warblers and right after getting a few photos I heard a very familiar song. I heard what sounded like a very quiet song of a Northern Parula, an eastern species that should not be at the location. I got a crappy recording and then eventually got looks at it to confirm I was not hallucinating. It was indeed a stunning male Northern Parula and it was fairly cooperative for photos (at least as far as warblers go). It appears to be one of the few records in the state for the entire year so certainly a rarity. By the time I left the park to continue my journey I had seen 29 species at the park. I took an early break for lunch nearby and then visited a small waste water treatment plant nearby to add some waterfowl and shorebirds for my New Mexico list. I then started the hour drive to my Airbnb in Deming around 11:30AM. I still had a few hours free before I could check in to my Airbnb so I decided to bird at Mountain View Cemetery in Deming. It looked like it had potential as it contained quite a few well watered mature trees in an otherwise desert landscape and my thoughts were confirmed when I found another rarity for the day. This time it was a female Black throated Green Warbler, another eastern warbler species that is quite unusual in New Mexico. I also added another Orange crowned Warbler as well as at least two Yellow rumped Warblers (both Myrtle subspecies). A total of five warbler species for the day with two rarities plus another new warbler species for the year made for a great day (more in depth look at warblers at the following link.  My New Mexico list grew from zero to 55.  Full trip list here: New Mexico trip list.

Sunday would be the last day of making long drives and I was up well before dawn again (an advantage to keeping my body on east coast time). My final destination would be an Airbnb in Green Valley, Arizona where I would be spending three nights. I had a few ideas on what to do with my day before arriving at my lodging and I settled on driving directly to Mount Lemmon with the goal of potentially tracking down the last three warbler targets for the trip (Grace’s Warbler, Virginia’s Warbler and Red faced Warbler).

Great start to October with a possible Yellow rumped Warbler hybrid plus lots of late migrants

Yellow rumped Warbler (possible hybrid or aberrant individual with yellow throat, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Black throated Blue Warbler with unusual plumage, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Orange crowned Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Blackburnian Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Golden crowned Kinglet, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Blue headed Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Oct 2, 2025

Red tailed Hawk, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 1, 2025

Eastern Phoebe, Hickory Ridge Conservation Area, Amherst, MA, Oct 1, 2025

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Oct 1, 2025

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Oct 1, 2025

Despite a cool down the last couple days and breezy conditions I have had some interesting birds as I have concentrated on warblers to start off the month and have found 16 species of warblers so far including two very unusual individuals.  Both individuals were in the same general area of each other among a mixed flock in Belchertown.  The first was a Yellow rumped Warbler with a yellow throat that is either a hybrid of the Audubon's and Myrtle subspecies or an aberrant plumaged individual.  The jury is still out on what to actual call the bird...no matter what it is it was certainly exciting to run across (and actually get photos of!).  The other interesting bird was a male Black throated Blue Warbler with a white throat and additional white plumage on the flank.  The last couple nights (especially September 30th into October 1st) were big migration nights and the influx of late season passerine migrants has been impressive with loads of Golden crowned and Ruby crowned Kinglets as well as multiple species of sparrows at every stop.  Raptors have also been moving too with some great looks at multiple species.  We are headed toward another warm up through the weekend and then we will see another cold front come through by mid next week.  

September ends on a warm note

Swamp Sparrow, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Sep 30, 2025

Green Heron, Jabish Canal, Belchertown, MA, Sep 30, 2025

Black throated Blue Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 30, 2025

White throated Sparrow, Ware, MA, Sep 30, 2025

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

Golden crowned Kinglet, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

Blue headed Vireo, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

Black Bear, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

Spotted Apatelodes Caterpillar, Home, Belchertown, MA, Sep 29, 2025

The month of September has now come to an end and it ended on a sunny and warm note (high of 80) The last few mornings of the month have found me out looking for migrants and finding many plus a fair number of mammals (including several Black Bears).  I continued to concentrate on warblers and found a few late ones as well as some around in atypical numbers for the date.  I have also found a number of non warbler species including a few late ones (including a flyover Barn Swallow at the house yesterday and a couple Tree Swallows elsewhere today).  The numbers of later season migrant passerines such as both species of kinglets as well as multiple species of sparrows (especially White throated Sparrows) have also increased the last couple mornings.  Sadly September brings to a close the peak of warbler migration but the incoming month of October does bring an increase in sparrow numbers as well as increasing variety of waterfowl.  The chance of vagrant species also continues to rise as fall migration continues to press on.  I ended the month with 161 species in Hampshire County which is about an average number of species for me for the month.

Big influx of Blackpoll Warblers the last couple mornings (plus others)

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Ruby crowned Kinglet, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Ovenbird, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Morning Glory with honeybee, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Wilson sleeping, Belchertown, MA, Sep 27, 2025

Cape May Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2025

Blackpoll Warbler, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2025

Eastern Wood Pewee, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2025

Northern Parula, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2025

Wood Duck, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2025

Great Egret, Lake Wallace, Belchertown, MA, Sep 26, 2025

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Sep 26, 2025

After a couple of days with some rain the last two mornings have returned us to sunny and somewhat warm conditions.  Although the winds were not perfect for migration the birds certainly pushed in with the most impressive arrivals being large numbers of Blackpoll Warblers.  I had one spot that held over 30 in less than a mile of walking this morning and multiple spots over the last two mornings have held double digit counts of the species.  Other warblers have also put on a good showing with Northern Parula and Cape May Warblers topping the list.  Other migrants have been around too with increasing numbers of both species of kinglets, continued numbers of Red breasted Nuthatches as well as others.  I have concentrated on warblers mainly so have not checked any of the flooded fields along the river where others have turned up a few shorebirds (nothing I have not yet had for the year so happy I didn't make the drive over and take away from my warbler time!).  I did make some quick checks at Winsor Dam as well as Lake Wallace and didn't find anything unusual.   I expect the next big push to come Sunday night after the passage of a cold front.  Until that happens we have a few days of above normal temps with highs in the upper 70's to 80's until the end of the month.