Connecticut Warbler

Back in the 80's when the "collecting" fever burned in a Flatbush (Long Island) lane I met and shot several of these Warblers. I hope the Recording Angel will remember I was young then! I have seen them four times since here in Dutchess County — once in the Spring. Nichols's description is so apt that I give it with felicitations.

This Warbler is a strange, rare bird that is hard to find. They come north by one route and return by another, and are lost to the world in breeding and Winter seasons. In the Spring they come into Florida, then across the Mississippi and Ohio vallies and disappear in the forests of the north. From the few records during the breeding season one might suppose there were but a few dozen birds in existence. During the nesting period they have two songs: one, beecher, repeated six times, and, freechapel, freechapel, freechapel, whoit. Freechapel, Beecher and Connecticut are not inappropriately associated, so his Puritan name is quite correct. In the late Summer they show themselves more commonly in the land of the Puritan than elsewhere, tho they are so quiet their passing is seldom noticed. They leave Florida in October and the latest known record is October 22nd from Colombia, South America. From then until April they are lost, tho one year a bird was seen on April 9th at Tonantins on the upper Amazon.