fall warblers that are actually hard, not just famous for it
The ones people always cite (Blackburnian, Cape May) are gorgeous but easy in spring. This is about the drab streaky November birds, going off the confusing fall warbler groupings in the Sibley Guide.
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1
Tennessee Warbler
Everyone's scared of Blackpoll and Bay-breasted but this one actually gets people. Fall bird is just plain, no wing bars, faint eyebrow.
2
Blackpoll Warbler
3
Bay-breasted Warbler
Buffy wash on the flanks and undertail is the tell against Blackpoll. Still misidentify this one every year.
4
Connecticut Warbler
Full bold eye-ring, walks on the ground instead of hopping. Ridiculously secretive, worth the wait.
5
Mourning Warbler
6
Orange-crowned Warbler
The beige of warblers. Basically no field marks at all, which IS the field mark.
7
Prairie Warbler (fall immature)
8
Cape May Warbler (fall female)
People list Cape May as a spring stunner and forget the fall female is a washed out ghost of that bird. lifer! and i thought it was a vireo.
9
Nashville Warbler
Not actually that hard honestly, the eye-ring and yellow throat give it away fast, but gets lumped in by reputation alone.
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