Warblers are at their peak in the Lehigh Valley

Northern Waterthrush

Warblers, one of the smallest birds on the North American continent, have completed their long migrations from South America to reach the Lehigh Valley. If you have a sharp eye, or a keen sense of hearing, you can find these highly active, melodious birds in forests or woodlots of any good size.

These jittery birds seem to be always in motion. If they are not hopping from branch to branch, they are scurrying among leaf litter on the ground. In deep undergrowth, you may have to content yourself with their song rather than their sight.

This is the peak time of year to see warblers. Having recently returned to our area, they are busy searching for mates, chasing away competitors and building nests. Here are some of the locations where warblers have been sighted. The list was compiled by The Bird House from reports submitted by E-bird, the online reporting service, for the one-week period ended May 19.

Mount Bethel Fens, Northampton County
(at Institute Drive)
Common Yellowthroat, 2 on May 14.
American Redstart, 2 on May 14.
Yellow Warbler, 5 on May 14.
Also seen: Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler.

Easton, Northampton County
Yellow Warbler, 1 on May 18, along North Delaware Drive.
American Redstart, 2 on May 17, on Karl Stimer Arts Trail.

Northern Parula

Easton, Northampton County
(at Paxonia Road East, all on May 15)
Yellow-throated Warbler, 2.
Ovenbird, 3.
Worm-eating Warbler, 2
Hooded Warbler, 2.
American Redstart, 4.
Northern Parula, 2.
Blackburnian Warbler, 2.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 6.
Black-throated Green Warbler, 6.
Also seen: Blue-winged Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler (a female), Tennessee Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Cape May Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Riegelsville, Northampton County
(at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, all on May 14)
Ovenbird, 15.
Worm-eating Warbler, 6.
Blue-winged Warbler, 2.
Black-and-white Warbler, 6.
Common Yellowthroat, 4.
Hooded Warbler, 3.
American Redstart, 4.
Black-throated Blue Warbler, 4.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 3.
Black-throated Green Warbler, 4.
Also seen: Nashville Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Nashville Warbler

Lake Minsi, Northampton County
Yellow Warbler, 1 on May 13 and May 19.
Also seen: Common Yellowthroat and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Plainfield Township Trail, Northampton County
Magnolia Warbler, 2 on May 14.
Yellow Warbler, 2 on May 14.
Also seen: Common Yellowstart, American Redstart, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Wilson's Warbler.

Jacobsburg State Park, Northampton County
Ovenbird, 6 on May 15; 10 on May 16; and 1 on May 17.
Black-and-white Warbler, 1 on May 14; 3 on May 15 and 1 on May 16.
Tennessee Warbler, 3 on May 15.
Common Yellowthroat, 2 on May 14; 8 on May 15; 6 on May 16; and 8 on May 17.
Prairie Warbler, 5 on May 16; 2 on May 17.
American Redstart, 7 on May 15; 2 on May 16.
Magnolia Warbler, 1 on May 14 and May 15; 2 on May 16.
Bay-breasted Warbler, 2 on May 15.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 2 on May 15; 1 on May 16.
Black-throated Blue Warbler, 4 on May 15; 1 on May 16.
Black-throated Green Warbler, 3 on May 15; 2 on May 16.
Also seen: Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush, Blue-winged Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Northern Parula, Blackpoll Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler and Canada Warbler.

Bushkill Trail, Northampton County
Ovenbird, 6 on May 14.
Common Yellowthroat, 3 on May 14.
American Redstart, 2 on May 14.

Ovenbird

Bear Swamp Park, Northampton County
Ovenbird, 8 on May 19.
Common Yellowthroat, 12 on May 19.
Yellow Warbler, 6 on May 19.
Also seen: Northern Waterthrush.

Moore Township, Northampton County
Common Yellowthroat, 2 on May 17.
Also seen: Yellow Warbler, 1 on May 17.

Moore Township, Northampton County
(at Appalachian Park)
Ovenbird, 6 on May 17.
Also seen: Black-and-white Warbler and American Redstart.

Moore Township, Northampton County
(along Cigar Road)
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 2 on May 14.
Also seen: Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Smith Gap, Northampton County
Worm-eating Warbler, 2 on May 17.
Black-and-white Warbler, 3 on May 17.
Blackpoll Warbler, 2 on May 17.
American Redstart, 6 on May 17.
Also seen: Ovenbird, Nashville Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Monocacy Nature Center, Northampton County
Common Yellowthroat, 3 on May 16; 1 on May 19.
American Redstart, 5 on May 16; 3 on May 19.
Magnolia Warbler, 2 on May 16; 1 on May 19.
Also seen: Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler and Canada Warbler.

Allentown, Lehigh County
(at Grange Park)
Yellow Warbler, 2 on May 19.

Allentown, Lehigh County
(along Park Drive)
American Redstart, 2 on May 16.
Yellow Warbler, 2 on May 16.

Magnolia Warbler

Lehigh Parkway East, Lehigh County
Magnolia Warbler, 3 on May 16.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 5 on May 16.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 6 on May 16.
Also seen: Ovenbird and Palm Warbler.

Leaser Lake, Lehigh County
Ovenbird, 1 on May 16; 10 on May 17; 28 on May 18; and 6 on May 19.
Worm-eating Warbler, 1 on May 14 and 2 on May 18.
Black-and-white Warbler, 3 on May 16; 2 on May 18; 1 on May 19.
Common Yellowthroat, 11 on May 14; 8 on May 16; 5 on May 17; 6 on May 18; and 4 on May 19.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 2 on May 16.
Yellow Warbler, 5 on May 14; 3 on May 16; 5 on May 17; 7 on May 18; 1 on May 19.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 6 on May 14 and May 16; 3 on May 17; 1 on May 19.
Yellow-breasted Chat, 1 on May 16 and May 18.
Black-throated Green Warbler, 2 on May 14 and 1 on May 19.
Also seen: Northern Waterthrush, Mourning Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Palm Warbler, Pine Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Canada Warbler and Wilson's Warbler.

New Tripoli, Lehigh County
Hooded Warbler, 2 on May 17.
American Redstart, 14 on May 17.
Blackburnian Warbler, 6 on May 17.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 3 on May 18.
Black-throated Blue Warbler, 2 on May 17.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 5 on May 17 and 10 on May 18.
Black-throated Green Warbler, 5 on May 17 and 3 on May 18.
Also seen: Ovenbird, Blue-winged Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Canada Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat.

Wilson's Warbler

Trexler Memorial Park, Lehigh County
Common Yellowthroat, 2 on May 16.
American Redstart, 2 on May 16.
Wilson's Warbler, 1 on May 16.

Nestlé Way Retention Ponds, Lehigh County
Common Yellowthroat, 1 on May 14.

State Game Lands 217, Lehigh County
(Reservoir Road access)
Ovenbird, 2 on May 18.
Also seen: Blue-winged Warbler, American Redstart, Canada Warbler.

Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County
(along North Krocks Road)
Common Yellowthroat, 1 on May 14.
American Redstart, 1 on May 14.

Beltzville State Park, Carbon County
Ovenbird, 1 on May 13; 6 on May 16; 10 on May 17; and 2 on May 19.
Blue-winged Warbler, 1 on May 16; 2 on May 17.
Common Yellowthroat, 3 on May 13; 6 on May 16; 8 on May 17; 1 on May 19.
Magnolia Warbler, 2 on May 16.
Yellow Warbler, 3 on May 13; 8 on May 16; 6 on May 17.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 3 on May 16; 2 on May 17.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 5 on May 13; 4 on May 16.
Prairie Warbler, 1 on May 13; 4 on May 16; 1 on May 17.
Also seen: Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Blue-winged Warbler, American Redstart, Prairie Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler.


Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Carbon County
Black-and-white Warbler, 2 on May 16.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 10 on May 16.
Prairie Warbler, 4 on May 16.
Also seen: Chestnut-sided Warbler and Wilson's Warbler.