I couldn't have been more surprised at 3 pm this afternoon to have a 
close encounter with a male Cape May Warbler at Kilowatt South Park.  
The bird was foraging in thickets between the parking lot and water, in 
the company of two chickadees.  I observed it from 2-3 meters distance 
for 3-4 minutes.  Its distinctive facial pattern, prominent black 
streaking on yellowish breast and sides, and single bold white wingbar 
made for an unamibiguous identification.   The bird was completely 
unconcerned about me, even coming close to investigate a couple of times.

Although most Cape May Warblers are in the West Indies now, the species 
is known to linger in northern temperate areas more frequently than most 
other long-distance migrant warblers.  Some will remember the bird that 
was present at a Rutland feeder through November and December of 2005, 
and eBird records show a bird reported by multiple observers in Essex, 
NY on December 7, 2013.

At Lake Pinneo 30 minutes later were 135 Hooded and 45 Common 
mergansers, a Great Blue Heron, and the Herring Gull that has been 
present from some time.

Chris

-- 
Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
P.O. Box 420
Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-1431 ext. 1
www.vtecostudies.org

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