Prairie/Kirtland’s Warblers in Adams County 6/13/20

I was staying at a friend’s cabin over the weekend in Wautoma and I decided to try for a few warblers in Adams County. I arrived to a sight, where I had Kirtland’s Warblers last year, just after sunrise. It was a sunny, rather chilly morning, only 41 degrees. I did not hear any singing, so I waited around for a little over 30 minutes, thinking maybe it was a slow start with the lower temps. Still nothing, so I moved on. I checked another area and finally heard one singing while I was driving. I turned around and parked on the side of the road. Within minutes, I could hear 3 different males singing, in about a 150 yard stretch. One was singing from the newer pine growth closer to the road and another in a tree, at the border of the more mature pines. I never saw the third. About 200 yards to the north, in another 150 or so yard stretch, I heard another 4 different males singing, bringing my total to 7!

I continued on to the location where the Prairie Warbler was being seen. I arrived and parked on the side of the road, just north of Bighorn Ave, on 17th Ave. I saw other cars there, but did not see anyone. I walked around a little bit, but didn’t hear anything. I finally saw the other birders walking back to their car and asked if they had seen or heard it. They said they had, just west of 17th, on Bighorn Ave, over the hill. I walked over there and could immediately hear him singing. I walked out a bit and he was extremely cooperative, singing non-stop the entire time I was there. He flew around from tree top to tree top. When he sings, he cocks his head way back and straight up in the air! A very beautiful bird. I walked back to my truck and a second one was singing from the NE corner of the intersection, right where I had parked. Crazy that there are two of them at the same area, especially when you don’t usually see one, in the entire state! Images below are from the day. Enjoy!