The weather forecast yesterday showed that there would be some sunshine, a welcome respite after a lengthy period of rainy and/or overcast weather, so I ventured out to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Some other photographers have recently posted photos of warblers there and I thought that I would try my luck, knowing that the still abundant foliage would hamper my efforts to spot them.
As I was walking along on one of the trails, I saw some flashes of yellow, a good indication of a possible warbler. I watched and waited and eventually managed to get a few shots of the bird. I vaguely recalled having seen this species before, but I couldn’t remember what it was. A short time later, I encountered a couple of birders with binoculars. I am usually reluctant to ask for help out in the field, but somehow I managed to overcome my inhibitions and showed them a photo. One of them suggested that it was probably a White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus), not a warbler.
When I returned home, I checked my blog and found that I had previously seen White-headed Vireos in the spring of both 2022 and 2o24. In those cases, the eyes of the vireo were much whiter than those of this bird, which somehow made those prior identifications a little easier.
This is a transitional time of the year for me, a time when I try to search for both birds and dragonflies. My head is moving almost continuously as I alternate between scanning the nearby ground area for insects and the more distant trees for birds.
Summer stragglers and migratory birds mean that I never know what I might encounter when I go walking with my camera, so I try to stay alert and ready at all times.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
All that yellow often fools me too. Though the fact you even got a good picture hints it’s not a warbler. Lol. Warblers never seem to stop moving. So frustrating. Nice photos!
Thanks, Cindy. Warblers and some other birds move through our area in the spring going north and in the autumn going south. My mind interprets yellow as indicative of a warbler, though there are other birds like goldfinches and vireos that also may be yellow. There are so many leaves on the trees still that it is miraculous for me to see a bird and actually get a photo of it.
What a
What an amazing bird. I was thinking I’ve never seen a Vireo but I’m sure I’m wrong. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Vireo-types flying about. But I’ve not been smart enough to know because the yellow Vireo colors aren’t so striking at all times of the year maybe.
Thanks, Michael. Vireos move about a lot and remain hidden in the vegetation a lot of the time, so that may be why you never have gotten a clear look at one. I think they are only with us intermittently, i.e. during certain times of the year when they are migrating.
What a beautiful visitor.