It's actually not too early at all for southbound migrants.? The "problem" in a state like Maryland, which has lots of breeding birds, is being certain an individual bird is a migrant.? This week in Florida, Black-and-whites have been reported widely from the panhandle to Miami, including 2 I saw on Monday with a migrant Louisiana Waterthrush.? The closest breeding areas are central Alabama and northern Georgia so these are definitely migrants.? 

It is possible that your Black-and-white was just a local wandering bird from a breeding site on the Potomac, but it seems just as likely to be a migrant from farther away.? 

Matt Hafner
Ocala, FL 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Janet Millenson <>
To: 
Sent: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 3:08 pm
Subject: [MDOSPREY] B&W Warbler, MontCo yard










A Black-and-White Warbler, apparently a young male, showed up at my little 
pond just now looking to beat the heat. It's the first time I've seen this 
species around here other than during spring or fall migration. (It's too 
early for migrating warblers, right? Like it's still too early to be 
thinking about "back to school"?)

Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)

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"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot