Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Palm Warbler - Migration Continues

Palm Warblers do not nest in Southern Minnesota but migrate through. This Warbler nest in the northwest corner of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan plus Canada. They are seen wagging their tails and foraging on the ground much more than most other Warblers. Palm Warblers have my vote for a beautifully subtle Warbler.







The Warblers Keep Coming, Yes!

It seems that the Warbler Migration is at full stream.  Usually at this date we see only Yellow-rumped and Kinglets with the others to come in a week.  But many species were eating hatching worm off the Forsythia. So May 6th was a great day for seeing Warblers.

 Nashville Warbler


 Black and White 


Northern Parula

 Yellow Warblers 


 Ruby-crowned Kinglet without the crown

Ruby-throated Hummingbird first of the year!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

A Warbler Favorite - American Redstarts

American Redstarts is on of my favorite Warbler. They are curious and unafraid of humans. I love the way they fan their tails when they fly. No photos of the flight but I caught one preening his tail. They should be seen in our area for a few weeks. Enjoy!






That's all folks. I see the light!

Monday, May 5, 2014

The WARBLERS are Here!!! Today is the day!

Such a beautiful sunny day, plus the Warblers arriving early made it a super day. Our peak birding day is usually May 15th, International Migration Day and that is 10 days off. Brian Plath has been peaking our interest by posting his Warbler photos on Facebook. Today the best bird was the Parula but the Nashville Warbler is a subtle beauty. The Common Yellow-throat is a favorite and Yellow Warblers are delightful. Do I sound like I like Warblers? The Best Birding to me is seeing Warblers in Spring Migration.


Yellow Warblers have red stripes on their breast.








Common Yellow-throat has a black mask with white outline.



 Sorry about this photo, the only one of this species, we think it is a female Cape May.




 Yellow-rumped Warbler, the most common warbler has an alias of Myrtle Warbler and Butter-butt. They are traditionally the first warblers to migrate north with the Kinglets.  Male above, female below


Ruby-crown Kinglets

The WARBLERS are HERE!!! Northern Parula!!!

All of a sudden spring arrived after much delay. Today was the day when we saw our first Warblers and they were not just Myrtles. Nasville, Northern Parulas, Yellow Warblers, Yellow-throated Warblers. It was an amazing afternoon. The yard still needs raking but I have no regrets. The Forsythia is full of small insects so that is where the warblers were. The Northern Parulas were in the Forsythia off and on all day.





Northern Parulas are really colorful birds!  Great bird not often seen.