Black-throated Blue Warbler
I finally took a good photo of a male Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) earlier this week! However, it was not without tremendous persistence and many failed attempts, as is the beauty of digital photography. What you cannot see is that I edited out the black-legged or deer tick attached to this poor guy’s face. The tick was engorged just in front of his eye, a precarious place to scratch. Please keep ticks in mind as you go outdoors this season as many people still neglect to take any precautions or check themselves after being outdoors. Some doctors are still...
Read MorePine Swamp Warbler
To answer yesterday’s quiz by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser, the Pine Swamp Warbler (Sylvia pusilla) was a bird Audubon originally painted as a new species of warbler. However, you may have figured out that it was the female Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens). This was an interesting mistake that highlighted the dimorphism between the male and female. It is one of the most drastic sexually dimorphic species of North American warblers.
Read MoreBlack-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)
For those of you that guessed Black-throated Blue Warbler for our confusing fall warbler question, you would be correct! As you may have noticed both the prior photo and this photo of the Black-throated Blue Warbler features them in-hand after receiving a small silver band on one of their legs. While the birds migrate from the northeast, upon their return and possible recapture, ornithologists can gather a great deal of data as to where the birds may have traveled to, whether they return to the same breeding grounds year after year as well as what their overall state of health appears to be....
Read MoreFun with Confusing Fall Warblers
As fall bird migrations are now in full swing, I thought it would be fun to see how well you know your confusing fall warblers. We have this little beauty below that can be a little challenging to properly identify. Taking a closer look at the white marking on the wing, the cream-colored stripe above the eye, and the white lower eyelid, what do you think it might be? I’ll give you a hint, while in breeding plumage the males have a lovely slatey blue body and very distinct black face, throat and flanks. They inhabit forest interiors while in their summer breeding grounds and munch on...
Read MoreBlack White & Blue
Here are a couple more goodies from Twan’s yard, a male Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) and a male Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens). Both certainly look exactly as they sound! Please be sure to eBird all of your yard birds, as Twan did.
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