Tag Archives: Prothonotary Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler Checking On Nest

This Prothonotary Warbler’s nest is in that cavity, and the parent spent several minutes poking his head in, like he was moving something around.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

I did not see if he brought something on this trip to the nest, like he did when I spotted the parent two days before: Prothonotary Warbler Bringing Food Home

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

The hole is about my eye level and I did see one chick beak when I passed by.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

The parent did fly off with a fecal sac, something I hadn’t seen up close before.

Prothonotary Warbler With Fecal Sack
Prothonotary Warbler With Fecal Sac

Prothonotary Warbler Bringing Food Home

Sitting just off the trail this Prothonotary Warbler was perched, but not singing, which is a common behavior. I didn’t notice at first that his beak was stuffed with lunch.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

Not for himself, but he was taking this meal to his nest.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

He quickly stuck his head in…

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

then flew off for another serving.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

I didn’t hear any chicks so suspect he was feeding his brooding mate.

Prothonotary Warbler on Knee

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.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

May 7, 2019.

Prothonotary Warbler in the Forest

The Prothonotary Warblers have returned to my area. Often you hear them before seeing them, even with this brilliant yellow.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

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.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

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.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

Prothonotary Warblers In the Forest

The light was low and it was raining off and on as we made our way around the board walk over the swamp at Beidler Forest, a property managed by Audubon South Carolina. I heard a warbler calling way before I saw this bird and his mouthful of bugs.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

I was quite surprised he was so close to the boardwalk. He moved to different branches a few times, keeping a tight grip on his bug collection. After a couple minutes he flew out of my sight.

Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler

Further on I spotted another Prothonotary Warbler bringing food to a nest in a Cypress Knee. It was even darker then and rain was about to fall in earnest.  The image is not great but you can get an idea of where these warblers rear their young.

Prothonotary Warbler at Nest
Prothonotary Warbler at Nest

Both of these birds were banded, part of a research project to study their migration.

Beidler is the world’s largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest — a pristine ecosystem untouched for millennia.
Audubon South Carolina