One of our favorite heralds of spring time made it’s first, if brief appearance in one of the giant old black oaks on our property this morning. Just as Liam was heading off to a basketball tournament he detected it’s melodious song and ran into the house to let me know. The bird stayed just long enough for me to enjoy one good rendition of it’s tune before moving up the ridge. As an early arriving migrant this individual will have the advantage of choosing the best ‘territory’ before others of it’s species arrive.
Where have they been throughout the winter? According to Snowden’s Annotated Bird List for Butte County a small percentage (a distinct subspecies) over-winters locally, but they are hard to find as they are mostly silent until the spring. The majority of our breeding season black-throated grays are short-distance migrants, wintering in central to southern Mexico.
Even during breeding season they are most easily located by their songs. As tree-top feeders they are typically seen high overhead gleaning insects from the leaves and needles of oaks and pines.
Fortunately for us, black-throated gray warblers are designated a conservation species of least concern, meaning that the population is considered stable or increasing. We’ll enjoy their songs not only for the next four months (until breeding season is over) but for many years to come
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