[mou] Yellow-rumped Warbler in Duluth

[Kim R Eckert]

Today there was a Yellow-rumped Warbler along Skyline Parkway in 
Duluth. The bird was along Skyline about 100 yards E of the entrance to 
Chester Bowl associating with a small flock of siskins and chickadees. 
I had actually first heard its call note here last Friday, Jan 27, as I 
was running by, but I assumed it was just an odd call coming from one 
of the siskins in the flock and kept going. So when I heard it again 
today at the same place, I stopped and pished until it came into view 
to reveal it was indeed a Yellow-rumped.

This probably represents an overwintering bird which just had not been 
noticed by anyone earlier this season, rather than an unusually early 
"spring" migrant. Despite the record-high temperatures lately, I am not 
aware of anyone reporting any other birds showing up in Minnesota 
earlier than normal, and, if it were a migrant, this would be over 2 
months early and very unlikely.

Kim Eckert