Black-throated Blue Warbler

Oak Park, Wichita, 8 May 2008

A Web Page by Roy Beckemeyer - Last Updated 5/8/08

As reported on the Kansas Bird Listserver on 7 May, 2008, Pat and I found a male Black-throated Blue Warbler.  Pat also briefly saw a female of the species.  We watched the male forage from about 3 feet to 15 feet in Eastern Red Cedars for about a half an hour.  The weather was overcast and drizzly, and we were able to get close looks.  The bird did not call or sing while we were watching it.  It was located in the thick growth at the northeast end of the park to the east of the stream.  Later in the day Pete Janzen and others also got to see the male. 

On 8 May we went back and after an hour or so of searching heard the bird singing.  It seemed to be in the midst of a large group of Black & White and Nashville Warblers.  We follwed it by it's song without seeing it for about five minutes, then saw it foraging within a couple feet of the ground.  We followed it visually (it continued to sing for the entire time) for another 30 minutes or so.  It moved high up into the canopy and foraged pretty much on its own.  We first located the warbler in the trees just north of 11th street and about midway between the east and west boundaries of the park.  It worked its way around to the north, staying inside the main path as it went.  We lost it at the north end of the park near the open meadow.  The bird was moving often, but I managed to get some long distance photos, none of which are very high in quality, but which do provide unequivocal identification.