May is the most exciting time of year for me. It is a time when brook trout are biting, leaves are appearing, days become warmer and woods fill with migrating neotropical warblers. Though some appear later, the middle of May is when dozens of these tiny, intricately colored birds are flitting about most woodlots. They are found in small groups and are easy to see if you know where to look.

The small flocks are random — they may include American redstart, black and white, northern waterthrush, ovenbird, black-throated green, black–throated blue and even some bay-breasted warblers. Birders also see the Canada, blackburnian and chestnut-sided warblers this time of year. The most commonly seen, and perhaps the easiest to identify, are the yellow-rumped warblers and yellow warblers.

During the next few days, birders at any level of experience should be able to enjoy the thrill of the warbler migration. While warbler watching is outstanding at premier birding sites such as Hammonasset State Park and Bluff Point, local woodlots also may reveal at least a few different warbler species. Sometimes warblers will even show up in suburban yards and city parks.

I recommend wooded acreages where there is running water, tall shrubbery and plenty of overhanging branches. The secret is to arrive early, just as the sunlight is breaking through the trees. Look for these small birds feeding about the newly emerging leaves or flying out from the ends of branches and hawking insects in mid-air.

I recently took a small group birding through the trails of Babcock Wildlife Management Area in Colchester. I have often said silence is as fragile as solitude here in Connecticut, but we made it through the day without any disturbances. In fact, we heard nothing other than birds singing in all directions. The entire forest was ours to explore and we broke trails through the morning dew as we hiked toward the rising sun.

Immediately, we spotted five yellow-rumped warblers gleaning insects off the budding leaves of a small maple. On Standish Pond Trail we found yellow warblers flying across the clearing of an abandoned orchard. Just as we were about to re-enter the forest beneath a mature canopy of white pine a blue-winged warbler emerged from deep cover to investigate our presence. This orchard has always been great for finding blue-winged warblers. By the end of the day we had seen eight different warbler species.

Another good site is Hartman Park off Route 82. Some birders have reported as many as 18 warbler species along the trails of this site in Lyme. The Kentucky warbler frequents the wooded sections here. Along the rocky hillsides, look for the shy worm-eating warbler with its inconspicuous olive plumage. Nearby, check the Connecticut Arboretum, home to the hooded warbler. If you prefer a group, the Audubon Shop in Madison offers Saturday-morning bird walks.

In about two weeks warbler migration will have ended and with it the opportunity to readily see these fascinating species. When breeding season begins, many will have traveled north out of our woodlands, and those remaining to nest here will be lost within the foliage.

Robert Tougias is a birding author who lives in Colchester. He is available for presentations and will answer questions at rtougias@snet.net