Follow Migration - Part 4 - Frontenac Warbler Walk

Early in the spring I was contacted by Josh Wallestad about guiding an outing at Frontenac State Park for the MOU's newly resurrected field trip program. The idea being to provide a fun warbler effort coupled with allowing me to continue my State Park Big Year with minimal interruption.

I was game and we landed upon May 12th which would give trip attendees the option of doing that walk or heading west for Garrett Wee's two day shorebird extravaganza around the Cottonwood area.

My second visit as I used a disconnected portion of the park for an effort to find the Tufted Duck without luck. I did get Common Redpoll that day though with friend Peter Nichols.

Bright and early at 7AM we started meeting at the parks last parking lot that overlooks Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River. It was going to be a great day I could tell as I picked up Northern Parula and Cape May Warbler while standing next to my car and getting ready. Richard Gotz an excellent photographer was already in the area taking pictures. A few minutes later we spotted Red-headed Woodpecker working around the parking lot as well.

One of 2 Red-headed Woodpeckers seen in the day use area at the very top of the park.

As I drove into the park I even noted Henslow's Sparrow in the road adjacent grasslands. Frontenac was definitely ready to rock and people started to roll into the parking lot eventually giving us about a dozen participants ready to find some birds.

The cooperative Northern Parula that was present all morning and seen/heard again after our 4 hour walking effort.

Several birds were singing loudly as we worked a path down to some overlooks picking up Magnolia Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo along the way. We soon also had Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Green Warbler as well having a nice steady stream of birds, but not so overwhelming of numbers that we couldn't get on most of the birds we found.

We eventually worked our way back to the lot and then began walking the paved path all the way down to the campground area finding a more sparse selection of birds with a breeze coming up the ridge line and penetrating into the woodlands. We did pick up some additional warblers and eventually got the group a listen on Henslow's Sparrow and looks at several other warblers. We walked the road back to the parking lot slowly picking up excellent looks at another Black-throated Green Warbler and even a nice Lark Sparrow in a large burn patch that had been done.

All total we had 66 species in the morning session and most birders continued on with me as we relocated to the Sandy Point parking area and decided to get ourselves down to river level and see what might be happening in that space. It turned out this was a great idea as we ran into several parties noting it was in near fallout conditions a ways down the trail. Encouraged we moved along as a good clip picking up a few birds along the way when we came upon a moist area that had recently been under water. As we picked our way along additional words from others prodded us to make it to the wood bridge as it would be worth our effort.

Sure enough was we arrived a Prothonotary Warbler was feeding just feet from the bridge and at times we within inches of where we stood. This bird was joined by dozens of others swarming the ground for an insect bloom that was in progress. We had point blank looks at many birds and eventually saw a Blackburnian Warbler standing next to a Prothonotary Warbler. It was a such a crazy hot spot we just hung out for over an hour watching it all happen and snagging pictures the entire time.

Ultra close range Yellow Warbler at the Sandy Point super spot.

Star of the day, 1 of 2 super cooperative Prothonotary Warblers that worked the Sandy Point bug bloom location the entire time we were present.

A bit distant, but a Prothonotary Warbler and Blackburnian Warbler looking into the same pool of water.

American Redstart also working the ground for bugs at Sandy Point.

Chestnut-sided Warbler given the close-up of a lifetime also.

It was an amazing end to a great 6 hour effort of birding and guide work. The slower pace of the day was nice also as I knew I was about to really drop the hammer to keep on pace for 20 State Park visits in about 10 days time. Golden-winged and Wilson's Warbler both gave us some nice looks on the way out of Sandy Point area as we wrapped up an outstanding day of birding.