Warbler #4: Pine!
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve, IL
Saturday 18 April 2020
56 °F
I have decided to try to find all 33 expected warbler species in northeast Illinois this spring (with the addition of a 34th being the Townsend’s Warbler yesterday, which was completely out of the blue!)
So my next possible addition for the spring warbler list would be Pine which have arrived recently for the spring. The most reliable place for them somewhat near to my house is Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve where there are plenty of large stands of White Pines to support a small breeding population of Pine Warblers. It was extremely windy today which made for a modest raptor movement, including BALD EAGLES:
Here is the eagle with a TURKEY VULTURE:
OSPREY:
The high winds also made my three-mile walk, for the most part, devoid of songbirds. The few I saw included common migrants such as RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET:
And a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER:
I got back to the car and just as I was about to give up, I glanced out the open car window and spotted a bright yellow songbird flitting high above in the trees next to the road. To my absolute delight, it was my goal PINE WARBLER! Awesome — my fourth warbler species here in Illinois this year. 
I had a little spare time before dinner so I headed over to Saganaskee Slough in the nearby Palos area where there were some distant RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, but not much else on this spring day:
So, it was yet another successful warbler excursion! My hopeful warbler list for the spring is included below, indicating where and when I have already seen the 4 of 34 possible NE Illinois migrant warblers so far. My list will grow exponentially starting about May 1 when the waves of neotropical migrants really start to engulf the area.
Bird-of-the-day to the Pine Warbler with runner-up to the Bald Eagles. Migration is firing up!
Stay tuned,
Henry
World Life List: 1112 Species
Spring 2020 warbler list:
1. Ovenbird
2. Louisiana Waterthrush: DuPage County, April 4
3. Northern Waterhthrush
4. Golden-winged Warbler
5. Blue-winged Warbler
6. Black-and-White Warbler
7. Prothonotary Warbler
8. Tennessee Warbler
9. Orange-crowned Warbler
10. Nashville Warbler
11. Connecticut Warbler
12. Mourning Warbler
13. Kentucky Warbler
14. Common Yellowthroat
15. Hooded Warbler
16. American Redstart
17. Cape May Warbler
18. Cerulean Warbler
19. Northern Parula
20. Magnolia Warbler
21. Bay-breasted Warbler
22. Blackburnian Warbler
23. Yellow Warbler
24. Chestnut-sided Warbler
25. Blackpoll Warbler
26. Black-throated Blue Warbler
27. Palm Warbler
28. Pine Warbler: Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve, April 18
29. Yellow-rumped Warbler: Thatcher Woods, April 4
30. Yellow-throated Warbler
31. Townsend’s Warbler BONUS RARITY: Deer Grove Forest Preserve, April 17
32. Black-throated Green Warbler
33. Canada Warbler
34. Wilson’s Warbler
