Palm Warbler, Yellow (Spring) Setophaga palmarum. hypochrysea
Kowomu Trail, Carroll County, Maryland
Like the Magnolia Warbler, the Palm Warbler’s name has very little to do with its preferred habitat. The Palm Warbler was named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin, a German naturalist, botanist, entomologist, herpetologist, and malacologist based on a specimen collected on Hispaniola, a Caribbean island with a lot of palm trees. (I added the Palm tree by the title for humor and a splash of color) Despite its name, the Palm Warbler is among the northernmost breeding of any Setophaga species. Only the Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) has a more northerly breeding distribution.
Palm Warbler, Yellow (Fall) Setophaga palmarum. hypochrysea
Willoughby Run, Adams County, Pennsylvania
Setophaga palmarum, or Palm Warbler include two subspecies, Setophaga palmarum. Hypochrysea Yellow) and eastern pictured here, and Setophaga palmarum. Palmarum, or western, which is much duller in color and are easily identified in the field. They comprise two separate breeding grounds, but may overlap on their wintering grounds.
Spring, Kowomu Trail, Carroll County, Maryland
Breeding grounds of the Eastern (Yellow) and the Western Palm warblers can be separated by the city of Ottawa Ontario with Hypochrysea to the east of and Palmarum to the west of. Favored habitat includes the bogs and fens of Boreal forests within the northernmost United States extending into the northernmost reaches of Canada. Audubon’s scientist through studies, project that the Palm Warbler could loose 83% of it’s breeding range due to Climate Change in the future.
Fall, Willoughby Run, Adams County, Pennsylvania
As far as breeding vegetation, the Palm prefers sphagnum bogs and fens with scattered cedar, tamarack, and spruce trees. The western Palm will also breed within the dry pine barrens of boreal forests which include ground covers of blueberry, bear-berry, and sweet fern.
During migration preferred habitats include old hedgerows, edges of streams and ponds, overgrown fields, and open pastures.
The Palm Warbler, including both eastern and western, winter primarily along the Gulf Coast and southeastern states and Caribbean islands. See the map to the right denoting it’s ranges from breeding north to wintering south.
Spring, Kowomu Trail, Carroll County, Maryland
As I noted above with the title “Just Passing Through”, seeing, more less photographing the Palm Warbler here in the Mid-Atlantic states is a matter of luck, and only during the short duration of spring and fall migration while the birds are passing through. I have caught a few glimpses of this species during winter visits home to Texas and Louisiana and along the Gulf coastal plains and their wintering grounds.
A year back, Spring of 2018, and while searching for Yellow and Blue-winged Warblers along the Kowomu Trail, a narrow gravel back-road, just south of the Mason Dixon Line in Carroll County Maryland, I was amazed to find a solitary Palm in full breeding plumage perched in a small tree along the roadside. He gave me ample opportunities for some quality photography. This was the first I’d ever seen in breeding plumage and during the spring. “It was a marvelous occasion”.
Listen to the song of the breeding Palm Warbler below. It’s a weak and dry trill, like that of Chipping Sparrow, but slower.
Fall, Willoughby Run, Adams County, Pennsylvania
The Fall of 2013 allowed me the first opportunity for good images of the Palm during the Fall migration with the images pictured here. Warblers were not my targeted species, but migrating raptors instead along one of my favorite haunts, just west of the borough of historic Gettysburg and its Civil War battlefield, through the Freedom Township Grasslands. I was following Red Rock Road along Willoughby Run, a small meadow stream and noticed a flock of small birds isolated to several small trees along the brushy creek-side and stopped to take a gander. I observed a bird constantly flicking and cocking its tail and strutting on the small branches with a backdrop of orange and gold colors. I wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass and quickly started taking photographs. I had no idea what the species was as this was my first introduction to the Palm and waited to get home and post-process the images and do a little research. What a “fun” discovery this turn out to be. Yet another warbler to add to my growing list!
Fall, Willoughby Run, Adams County, Pennsylvania
Photographically speaking …
Of all my small bird photography, Warblers are my favorite and a glowing passion! For this series, and during both the Fall and Spring sessions with this species, I was awarded with lovely “natural light” with a muted sun due to a thin overcast, which I prefer and I couldn’t have asked for better conditions. Most of my warbler photography takes place under dense forest canopies which requires the use of flash at a minimum.
The Spring images were captured with the Canon EOS 7D II and the Sigma 150-600 Sports telephoto lens.
The Fall images were captured with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IIN and the big Canon EF 400mm f2.8L
All images were captured from a beanbag from my vehicle window, and one of my favorite methods for a minimal disturbance to my subjects and to their well-being.
Spring, Kowomu Trail, Carroll County, Maryland
Happy Birding and Photography Everyone!