And there is even one adult male (the Tennessee) that actually looks brighter in fall than in spring! Just about all the other adult males look essentially the same as they do in spring or, if duller like the Magnolia and Yellow-rumped, they still are distinctive enough to be recognized with little difficulty. But that’s about it: these are the exceptions, not the rule. True, adult male Chestnut-sideds, Bay-breasteds, and Blackpolls in fall do look entirely different and are much duller than in spring. Yes, they do molt, but most adult warblers actually look about the same all year and are just as recognizable in fall as they are in spring. A common misconception is that all adult male warblers change into drab plumage before their fall migration.(About the only exception to this in Minnesota that comes to mind would be all those ratty and ragged juvenile Yellow-rumped Warblers still in molt one sees in Duluth in August and early September.) Therefore, when looking at fall warblers, birders generally do not have to deal with birds in molt or worn plumage. While many fall warblers are not all that colorful, virtually all of them are at least in fresh plumage, having molted on their breeding grounds before heading south.To begin with, and to keep this all in perspective, keep in mind the following: Honest! Sure, many of the ones you see in late summer and fall as they head south are not as colorful as most of the warblers you see during spring or on their breeding grounds, but the identification difficulties of fall warblers have long been overrated. If you take another look at these warblers, you’ll find they’re not all that confusing - most are actually as straightforward and as easy to get along with as my friend Rog. Similarly, now that fall migration is getting underway, it’s high time birders learn to relax and get over their Confusing Fall Warblers phobia. Well, Roger Peterson is a friend of mine, a Duluth birder, and Certified Public Accountant, his middle initial is “A”, and to call him anything more than just plain ol’ Rog is overdoing it and leaves him embarrassed. Why, it’s practically blasphemous - almost as bad as saying just “Roger Peterson!” To say merely “fall warblers” almost leaves one with a vague empty feeling. The words “confusing fall warblers” just naturally roll off the tongue as smoothly as, well, the words “Roger Tory Peterson”. You may be thinking, “I’ve heard of confusing fall warblers, but never just fall warblers.” After all, that three-word group of birds is an ornithological institution, something birders have been whining about for decades ever since the earlier editions of Peterson came out in print. You’re probably looking at the title of this article and feel that something is missing. BIRDING BY HINDSIGHT: A Second Look at Fall Warblers
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