Waves of Yellow-rumped Warblers in Estes Park, Larimer Co. 9/11

[Jim Nelson]

Each morning I walk a 2 mile loop down from our vacation home in Estes Park to buy the daily newspaper. On this morning's walk I encountered what I can only describe as a wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers moving through at about 8:00. My conservative count was 30 birds in 3 minutes, and that was just what I could see where I was at that point in my walk. The birds were in the trees, in the bushes, and all over the ground. Later in the morning, I observed another wave coming by our house as I stood on the deck. This time it was at least 20 with Orange-crowned and Townsend's Warblers thrown in. Then this afternoon, after it turned much colder and began spitting rain, from our deck I observed another wave of Yellow-rumps with Orange-crowned, Townsend's, and Wilson's thrown in. I've seen lots of Yellow-rumps and Wilson's on this visit to Estes Park, but this was the first where they were moving in a consistent direction as a group. And it's the most I've ever counted at our home. I suspect it is related to the significant change in the weather that others have discussed. Needless to say, our feeders have been very busy today too as the seed-eaters stock up.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland