Cape May Warblers are not an unusual bird to see on Kiawah Island this time of year, as some will stop here to rest and refuel during their migration south from breeding grounds in the boreal forests of Canada and the northern United States. After their stopover on Kiawah Island, these wood-warblers continue migrating south until they reach their wintering grounds in the West Indies.
With that said, Cape Mays are not very common here, even during the right time of year (i.e. fall migration). So, it is always a thrill to see one on the island.
While visually stunning during the breeding season, adult male Cape May Warblers in the fall are slightly less breathtaking. They still retain those distinctive black "tiger" stripes on their yellow breast, throat, and sides. (*note: those distinctive "tiger" stripes are a decent field mark and they always remind me of the species name "tigrina"). However, the overall color of fall, male Cape May Warblers is duller and they lack the distinctive orange-brown/chestnut cheek patches of the breeding plumage. Adult females and hatch-year birds will also be duller, with paler yellow coloration on the underside and an overall grayish or olive-gray appearance.
Previous Cape May Warbler sightings on Kiawah Island:
-The bird banding station on Captain Sam's Spit catches a handful of Cape May Warblers every fall. -Several years ago, I spotted a Cape May Warbler near the Mingo Point kayak outpost, where it was foraging low to the ground at the woodland edge.
Below are photos of Cape May Warblers taken at the Kiawah Island Banding Station.
After-hatch year, female Hatch-year, female After-hatch year, male
(Sept 24, 2012) (Sept. 24, 2012) (Sept. 27, 2013)
No comments:
Post a Comment