Common Yellowthroat Warblers, either female or immature, but still looking pretty snazzy, entertained me as they flitted in and out of some marsh grass and cattails.
There were at least two, and may have been more; it was hard to tell as they zipped in and out of the underbrush.
Most of the time they were down in the thicker clumps, but did give me a few clearer views.
The late afternoon light was just right on this Black-and-white Warbler as he worked his way along a tree line.
An industrious hunter, he went round and round the trees, occasionally nabbing a small snack.
He occasionally paused for a look around.
Hunting upside down was no problem.
I usually see Phoebes down close to the water or ground scouting for insects but this one decided a tree top was a better spot for a few minutes.
The Phoebe was perched in one of these trees that line a path on a dike between two ponds.
The Carolina Wren is one of those spunky little birds that always makes me smile.
This one was flying ahead of me on a wooded part of the trail, with the sun about gone for the day.
One last peek over his shoulder and he zipped off over the pond.
Greetings from a Gold Finch on the last official day of summer.
The male Painted Bunting lives up to his name with colorful patches of blue, yellow and red. This one was enjoying a snack of some kind of grass seeds in an overgrown area at the edge of a lawn.
Distinctly different than the green-brown Female Painted Bunting that I featured last month, they are a treat to see, if only for a moment.
White-eyed Vireos are small {0.3-0.5 oz (10-14 g)} song birds that are usually difficult to spot due to their preferred habitat of thickets and scrubby trees. I could hear this one singing just in front of me on a narrow path and was surprised to see him on an open branch.
And when he flew I could still see him!
Although White-eyed Vireo was my first thought, I used the Merlin Bird ID app to verify the ID.
This branch is part of a dead tree that has fallen over the edge of a pond. Various birds find it a great place to survey the area, including this female Red-winged Blackbird.
In wondered if it was a juvenile as she was having trouble keeping her balance.
And fluffed up a bit like a young bird does.
Then she announced to the world she had a grip and immediately flew off.
I returned to Beidler Forrest one morning this week hoping for another opportunity to see a Prothonotary Warbler or two. I did hear a few high in the tree tops but mostly they eluded me. The promised sun did not materialize, keeping the forest dark.
I did capture this one as it was returning to its nest, which the center staff pointed me to. The nest is down inside that Cypress knee. After a moment the adult dropped into the nest and stayed put for at least the next twenty minutes, likely laying on eggs.
May 7, 2019.
The Prothonotary Warblers have returned to my area. Often you hear them before seeing them, even with this brilliant yellow.
These images were taken at Beidler Forest which has many of the features these warblers like: tree cavities for nesting, damp forest floor, dense undergrowth and both standing and slow moving water.
As I was leaving for the day one final Prothonotary Warbler crossed my path and perched on an open, if dimly lit, branch for a few moments.
