A perky Carolina Wren entertained me while he hunted for bugs on a vine covered tree trunk.
The vine and some Spanish Moss are good hiding places for bugs.
An occasional stop for a song is the wren’s way.
I think I was spotted.
Back to business the wren moved on up the trunk.
I spotted this Eastern Phoebe from a distance, his whitish chest shining like a beacon in all this dried winter brown. I was pleased he stayed put until I got a bit closer.
After a bit he entertained me with some flutter dives as he hunted, then he landed in this nearby dried stalk.
This Yellow-rumped Warbler flew into a tree right in front of me.
I think we were both surprised!
I had a narrow gap view of this Eastern Phoebe perched on a cattail at the edge of a small pond.
I waited for a clear shot as the tall grasses and hanging Spanish Moss waved around in a slight breeze.
The breeze was agitating the water, too, giving interesting ripple patterns in the background.
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
