Cerulean warbler in Sudbury?

[beresford]

My wife's cousin lives on Long Lake Road just south of Sudbury (maybe 10km) and while I was there I saw a warbler with piping along the sides of its breast... otherwise the underside was a creamy white.

After fetching my binos I got a good look at the bird but only its underbelly, and b/c of its superficial similarity to a blackpoll, at least from below, I assumed it was a blackpoll, but then today I listened to their songs and that cinched it. It was a cerulean.

Anyways... the question.
 
Anyone ever hear of a cerulean that far north? How rare is it for them to overshoot there traditional northern boundary by 200km? (Which looks to be the south shore of Georgian Bay)

[GStuart]

Um.  I guess it's possible.  But as you pointed out, Midland/Penetanguishene seems to be the northern limit.  So, while possible, it is unlikely.

You can find the breeding range on the site --> here. <--

[Tyler]

You know that Blackpoll warblers do not have creamy white breasts in the fall. Actually they look nothing like they do in the spring.

You heard it sing?... better buy a lottery ticket. a warbler doing its song in fall migration is very rare.

[bobhawk]

Long Lake is a very long lake,could you be more specific as to the location.ie:north or south shore,Sunnyside end,Moxams landing etc.On another note i have seen  many warblers in Sudbury nearby to Junction creek and Mcleod St in the past week.Black and white,Black Throated green,Yellowthroat ,redstart,yellowrump,chestnut sided..etc.I sucpect they hold in this area during the fall migration.thanks ..bobby

[beresford]

Tyler,

Yes I am well aware blackpolls look very different in the fall... but do they all spontaneously molt on the same day? I realise this is the latter part of August but perhaps this fella was late, I don't know. It just reminded me of a blackpoll. But as I pointed out I know it wasn't so the point is moot. As for its song... forgive my language, I heard it 'call' or 'sound off' as it was getting ready to fly away.  

And sorry... I don't play lottery its a waste of money.

Bobhawk,

The home is on Long Lake Road, on the south side closer to Tilton Lake. On another note, I also saw redtsarts, juvenile chestnut sideds, yellow-rumped and several black and whites as well.

What I was asking again was- does the bird ever stray north of its traditional boundary...?

[Tyler]

Of course Blackpolls do not all moult the same day. But their moult starts weeks ago and they should all be in fall plummage now as their fall migration has been ongoing for several weeks now. Only bird that would still look like a spring bird would be quite ill.

Another plausible species which this could be while being oberved from below and by its call note is a first fall female Blackburnian. why?

pg 402 petersons field guide warblers book by Jon Dunn and kimball Garrett.
"young female Blackburnians may appear white or pale buff below, thus resembling Ceruleans"
" Flight and Chip notes of the two species are similiar"

As for a Cerulean Warbler being north of it range in fall. anything is possible. However warblers tend to overshoot their range in the spring and then usually move back south to their proper range. Out of range warblers in early fall are not commonly reported.

[Reuven_M]

You know that Blackpoll warblers do not have creamy white breasts in the fall. Actually they look nothing like they do in the spring.

You heard it sing?... better buy a lottery ticket. a warbler doing its song in fall migration is very rare.

I don't think it's quite that rare, I had a black-throated blue and 2 redstarts singing today

[cloaca]

You heard it sing?... better buy a lottery ticket. a warbler doing its song in fall migration is very rare.

I'm not convinced this was a Cerulean Warbler, but I'd like to point out a couple sentences from the same book that you quoted.  See page 403, in the Cerulean Warbler account:

"Singing on the breeding grounds diminishes after early July, with some resurgence in August (even in southbound migrant males).  Singing is frequent on the wintering grounds."

So it seems as though singing in this species picks up a bit following breeding, and may continue through winter.  I don't have too much experience with southbound Ceruleans (does anyone really?), but I certainly wouldn't buy a lottery ticket based on hearing one sing.