White-eyed Vireos are a fast, elusive song bird.
This one was intent on food. He picked a worm off a leaf and flew down to an open branch to eat it.
But first he beat it a few times.
I’ve seen song birds gather a stack of worms or insects in their beak and thought he might be rendering this one ready for a flight to a nest.
No, this one was for him.
One gulp and it was gone.
The nest of this White-eyed Vireo is quite intricate and well placed to protect it from the rain.
A sharp-eyed friend had spotted the nest being constructed and pointed it out to me as we passed by.
A male Painted Bunting was perched on a dried reed stem. I tried to shift to a better position…
… but I’d been spotted.
His awkwardness gave the Carolina Wren away as a young ‘un.
His feet seemed a bit big for his body but boy could he sing like a seasoned pro.
Oops, leaned a bit too far.
A Painted Bunting entertained us with a cheery song from a perch above our heads on Friday. These are not great images but the bird’s colors are pretty amazing.
If he was trying to attract a mate there weren’t any takers and after about five minutes he went on his way.
For a better look at a Bunting’s colors see my post from a couple weeks ago: Male Painted Bunting, Two Views
The flash of yellow let me know this might be a Northern Parula as he flitted in the Spanish Moss above my head. Yes, it was.
I stood still and he finally paused for just a moment before zipping down the trail.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
May 15, 2020
I think these two views of a Male Painted Bunting are two different birds. Both paused in the sun on some pretty grasses.
I was surprised to see one land near me and then a second one landed very close to the first, alas not to be captured together.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, a small bird that is easy to identify using his name, also known as “butter butt.”
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.
