This afternoon at about 2 PM Jean and I were fortunate to discover a first-year male TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (Paruline de Townsend) at Fundy Park.

Photo ©2005 Merv Cormier

This species has not been confirmed in New Brunswick before.

The bird was feeding in bushes and trees on the hillside directly opposite the entrance of the short road that leads to the swimming pool. Once you reach the Visitor's Centre, take the road to Point Wolfe and the pool entrance is about 0.6 kilometres, on the left. Park near the entrance to the pool area and scan the hillside directly opposite, on the right side of the road. We placed a small piece of florescent orange survey tape on a shrub at the place where we first saw the warbler. From 2 PM until dusk the warbler foraged regularly in that area with chickadees and other (several YELLOW-RUMPED, a NASHVILLE and two PINE) WARBLERS and was seen by all of the handful of birders who were able to get there this afternoon.

The nice thing about this situation is that the birds are all visible as they move about on the hillside and those watching them can do so without disturbing them. You don't have to leave the road, and you don't have to "pish". Just watch for bird movement. In my opinion, there is a very good chance that this warbler might remain in the area until at least tomorrow, although these things are never certain. It represents a great opportunity to see a new bird for New Brunswick. As many of you may recall, I recently posted that one of my "dream objectives" for many years had been to finally find one in this province. Sometimes planning and persistence pays off! It's interesting that in late October of 1995 Stu Tingley discovered a Black-throated Gray Warbler, another rare vagrant from the West, almost within sight of this spot. Jean and I spent today at Fundy specifically with these two western possibilities in mind. It seems that Fundy Park and nearby Alma are magnets for vagrants late in the fall. Maybe something else exotic will turn up this weekend if enough eyes are out there. Good luck, and check Alma as well! I've sent a photo of the Townsend's Warbler to David Christie for placement online, for your additional information. Jim Wilson

Reported by: Jim Wilson

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