As soon as I saw the flash of yellow, I knew that these little birds were almost certainly warblers and not sparrows. When it comes to most warbler species, that’s the full extent of my identification skills. Most years when the warblers come through our area in the spring and in the fall, I can hear the warblers in the trees, but I rarely see them.
I initially thought that the bird in the first shot was a Yellow-rumped Warbler, but it turns out that my knowledge of bird anatomy is lacking. The area that is yellow on this bird is the undertail area and not the rump, which is more on the top. So what are these birds? A helpful birder in a Facebook forum identified them to me as Palm Warblers. (Setophaga palmarum).
With a little luck, I’ll get some more shots of warblers in the coming weeks and will undoubtedly have to rely on others to assist me in identifying them, though I need no help in appreciating their beauty.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Absolutely gorgeous photos. Mike. What a beautiful bird you are presenting.
Beautiful photos! The only warbler I can identify reliable is the black and white warbler – well done!
Beautiful pictures, Mike! M 🙂
Thanks. At this time of the year it’s a challenge to see these little birds because most of the leaves are still on the trees.
I especially love the third photograph. The tree is gorgeous.
Thanks.