Yesterday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge I was excited to spot a colorful little bird that was new to me. A search through my bird identification guide and some help from my Faceboook friends helped me to determine that it is a Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor).
I am hoping to be able to spot some more warblers this spring while their plumage is particularly colorful. I observed a few warblers last fall and noted that their coloration was a lot more subdued than it is now.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Such a pretty bird.
Love that yellow!
Beautiful.
Very bright! Lovely.
Great photos, Mike. Warblers tend to flit around a lot and rarely pause in the open like that!
Thanks, Joe. A fellow photographer earlier this week posted a photo of a Prairie Warbler, so it was in the back of my mind when I was out yesterday. However, I had no clue about its preferred habitat. So when I first spotted it, the warbler was behaving like a sparrow, but something caused me to track it as it moved all around, including the vegetation on both sides of the wide trail. What surprised me even more than the unobstructed shot was the fact that it perched low. Most of the time when I get a glimpse of a warbler, it is high in the trees.
Nice shots, Mike. I esp. like the first two where you can see its rusty mantle. The branches make a nice frame, too.
You must be a warbler whisperer.. it’s posed so perfectly for you!
Great captures, Mike, and what a gorgeous bird.
Loved seeing these gorgeous shots of a gorgeous bird! Warbler Whisperer, indeed!