Birds

They’re Back! Palm Warblers in Central Park

April 13, 2008 by Corey 5 Comments

On my hours-long birding excursion in Central Park yesterday one of the highlights was seeing many Palm Warblers all over the grassy areas wherever people weren’t. The bright yellow of the eastern form, which was all I saw today, was a sight for sore eyes after far too long without the presence of the little tail-waggers. I spent quite a bit of time trying to get good pictures but oddly didn’t get really good shots until I came upon another birder taking pictures of one on the ground in front of her. I squatted down about 6 meters away and watched, amazed, as the Palm Warbler ran away from her and started foraging in front of me! Though I felt a bit bad about getting a better photographic opportunity I didn’t feel bad enough not to repeatedly release the shutter of my camera!

Palm Warbler in Central Park

Palm Warbler in Central Park

Palm Warbler in Central Park

This one was quite insistent about not coming near me. I’m not sure exactly what it is that it is trying to see (except that it clearly wasn’t me) but apparently it really wanted to see it:

Palm Warbler fully extended

And this Palm Warbler was taking momentary shelter in a small tree when it, and every other bird in the vicinity, was flushed by what I assume was a hawk, though I did not manage to see the hawk myself.

Palm Warbler in a tree in Central Park

Of course the Palm Warblers are only on their way through to the far north where they will breed so if you are in the northeastern United States you might want to get out and see them now or you will have to wait until the fall to track them down (well, that or go really far out of your way to try and find them on breeding territory).

Written by Corey
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.