A very busy Yellow-rumped Warbler was zipping back and forth over the edge of a small pond.
He found small twigs to perch on between forays.
And then totally surprised me by landing in the water, which is much deeper than just to his ankles.
The carpet of vegetation, or perhaps a stick under the surface, was enough to hold up his 0.4-0.5 ounce (12-13 g) body while he poked in the water.
He got his treasure and skedaddled showing off his name-sake rump.
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.
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
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.
This small warbler caught my eye as I walked a path through a wooded area. He flitted along ahead of me, in and out of the sun patches, finally pausing in a fairly open spot for a few images.
I had to look him up for ID and found that it is a Northern Parula, which are known for spending their time in the tree canopy, not down close to the ground. When he left this spot he did fly up and I didn’t get another good view of him.
This Common Yellowthroat Warbler was a cheery sight on a recent cool morning.
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.
We drive through several miles of forest to get to the big pond at Donnelley Wildlife Management area. The tree canopy filters the light and somehow the little birds that I have a clear view of are seldom in a patch of light. That doesn’t stop me from taking some images and occasionally I get a keeper like this silhouette.
The Prothonotary Warblers won’t be in our area long so I spent some time around the edges of the swamp looking for them earlier this week. They are fast in flight, like tree tops, and don’t stay in one place for long, making them a challenge to track and to photograph.
This one must have liked the sun or the view because he stayed in this lichen covered branch for several minutes.
In the inner branches is usually where that flash of yellow streaks by.
