Spring brings a new energy to bird watchers across the province. With two thirds of birds migrating north to Alberta and beyond, binoculars and increasingly, audio or visual bird identification apps come out with the return of the birds. A special group, the wood warblers, attract great attention. In late May and June, birders travel to Cold Lake, Lac La Biche and Slave Lake, eager to locate and watch the twenty-one regular warbler species that make the boreal forests home for a few months each year. Raising young in an environment filled with insect life as the main entree is essential for the survival of all species. Warblers, like many other species, combine favorable south winds and the cover of the night to head north.
As the third week of August presents shorter daylight hours, the anticipation of the return south by warblers in Calgary, specifically at Confederation Park, creates a beehive of photographers and birders. With hundreds of eyes searching ebird.org reports, the word, “warbler”, rings as it it were Christmas Day. On Saturday, August 22nd, Elaine and I, out by 7:00 AM, enjoy the early quiet of a beautiful park. Painted in nature's finest shrubs, water courses and tall trees, it's truly a picture that simply needs warblers. We were hopeful to be fortunate enough to have a warbler or two slow down enough, and avoid innocently hiding behind the leaves enabling us to take a photo. As we headed west along the pathway, angling over to treed areas to look and listen, we could see camera equipment being worn by nearly one hundred bird watchers, all looking for “that” photo. Individuals move from group to group with the assumption that the gathering of twenty birders must be looking at something.
Elaine and I had headed in different directions. Finding a quiet spot along the slow flowing water off the paved trail to stand and listen is a favorite method. This morning, the warblers made their presence felt, literally within a few feet of my position. Joined by vireos and a single chickadee, the warblers combed the twigs, undersides of leaves and remaining flowers, seeking a morning morsel. Completely immersed in the wonderful warblers close by, I didn't realize a half dozen other photographers had heard the “loud” clicking of my technically ancient shutter. Turning left and right as well as doing a 180 degree turn, I felt like I was in a birding circle, with camera lenses presenting that surround sound feeling. Meanwhile, Elaine had spotted a sizable group, including a birding couple we know, and joined them, looking for a few species of warblers. The quiet and concentration of so many bird watchers was truly a joy.
After enjoying three hours of the quiet mania, we headed home to view our results. Eight warbler species had paid a visit our eyes and some would find their images in digital form. Joining over twenty other bird species we'd observed, mid-August in Confederation Park is truly the place for the wandering warbler photographers.