I expected to see a Mockingbird when I heard this jaunty fellow calling.
Like the Mocking Bird, Catbirds can imitate other birds as they sing.
The bright feathers under the tail gave him away as a Gray Catbird.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
February 9, 2022
A new bird to me, I spotted a pair of Rusty Blackbirds foraging at the edges of a swamp.
After a short pause out in the open this one went back to exploring the mud.
They eat insects or seeds, so about anything in this little pool would be a good snack.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 23, 2021
A Palm Warbler was doing his thing in the lower vegetation at the side of a swamp.
As you may know, warblers of all sorts are speedy and are mostly photographed exiting the spot you noticed him. Fortunately for me, this one’s curiosity slowed him down.
Then he gave me a jaunty pose.
He heard something, gave it another look, then dove into the underbrush.
ID by Cornell Lab’s Merlin App
Magnolia’s Audubon Swamp, Charleston, SC
October 18, 2021
After having seen a hummingbird at the Powdery Alligator-flag two years ago I always give it a once-over when I pass by a patch.
A thunder storm was closing in on us and the light wasn’t great but it didn’t stop this Carolina Chickadee from gathering some snacks.
The light changed again, giving me hope that the storm was going away.
The extra light was brief and it started raining a short time later.
Redstarts are part of the fall warbler migration through South Carolina and this is the first year I’ve gotten more than a glimpse of one of these speedy songbirds.
This one landed right in front of me when I was standing on a short bridge over a pond outlet late one recent afternoon. She then dropped to the ground so that I was looking down on her at the water level.
She proceeded to splash around in the water which was in the dark shade of the bridge, flashing her colored tail feathers.
I’ve checked back on the White-eyed Vireo nest from my June 15th post a few times, and about a week later got a similar image, without the rain.
Two weeks later, the nest was empty. Could chicks have hatched and fledged in that short time? All About Birds says their nestling period is 9 – 11 days, so yes it is possible.
Once I was sure there were no birds in the nest I got closer for a side view. Although a bit shabby looking at the bottom, what an engineering marvel this nest was.
Also from All About Birds:
Males and females build a pendulous nest suspended from a Y-shaped fork. They collect insect silk and spiderweb and attach it to the fork until it makes a lacy shell. They then stick leaves, bark, plant fibers, rootlets, and bits of paper to the spiderweb shell. They also stick lichens, moss, or leaves to the outside for additional camouflage. The female lines the nest with rootlets, fine grass, or hair. It takes the pair around 3–5 days to complete the nest.
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.
I had been watching some small birds flit in and out of the underbrush at the side of the road. The sun had just come up and they were hunting for breakfast in the lowest, darkest parts of the vegetation. This Palm Warbler finally took a break in the sun on a reed frond.
I was able to get a few steps closer and get a few images at a different angle before he went back to foraging.
