Monday, May 24, 2010

Sweet, Sweet, Sweet, so very Sweet

.
That's what they sing to me every time
they see me!
It is the

Yellow Warbler
Dendroica petechia


Finally, a day made to order here on the island.  
Even as the afternoon wind picks up, today from the NW,
 it's a warm wind. 

Yellow Warblers are residents on my property each summer 
and I am always delighted to welcome them home,
to step out the door each morning to be greeted
by their cheery call.  

Peterson's Field Guide describes them as being
the yellowest of all warblers.  "Even the tail spots
are yellow (white in many other species)."

Sadly, Yellow Warblers are among the most frequent victims
 of cowbird parasitism.  But, unlike many other birds,
 they can quickly recognize these rogue eggs,
and will either abandon their nests,
 or will rebuild right over the unwelcome eggs,
 sometimes persistently over and over again.
There are no cowbirds here, however, so it isn't a problem for my little family.




Their diet consists mostly of insects and spiders, but they will also
eat a few berries now and then.

Today, the Yellow Warbler shared it's space with a visitor 
who was just passing through!




Blackpoll Warbler
(Dendroica striata)

I couldn't miss the unmistakable shrill, high-pitched trill of this beauty!  
And I knew instantly to go take a peek among
the budding branches of the tamarack and maple.

The Blackpoll Warbler stops by every year for a day or two,
before continuing along it's journey. 
 I have found them nesting in the white spruce of the heath and scrub
of a beach approximately an hours ride from here.

"The Blackpoll is the greatest warbler migrant: weighing less than a wet teabag, eastern migrants are known to fly south over the Atlantic, leaving land on the east coast of Newfoundland and not resting until they reach the northern coast of Venezuela.  In a single year, a Blackpoll Warbler may fly as far as 24,000 kilometres!"
Source:  Birds of Atlantic Canada, Roger Burrows

They certainly are  welcomed visitors to my yard!!
As are all Camera Critters!  To see more,
just click HERE!



For more Nature Notes, CLICK HERE!


.

12 comments:

Just Ramblin' said...

Such lovely visitors! The Yellow Warbler reminds me of a canary. How fun to have such delightful birds stopping by.

NicoleB said...

They are both gorgeous birds!
Lucky you to have them as residents :D!

Carver said...

The warblers are such beautiful birds to hear and see. You did a great job with both the photography and narrative.

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm not familiar with the blackpoll warbler. How nice that you recognized it's call and got it's photo!

Caron said...

That first yellow warbler looks like the Beatles' yellow submarine! I love it.

Gel said...

Hello!

I clicked your link from Nature Notes blog. That warbler is so cheery -sunshiny yellow. I've not seen one in real life, so your narrative is a treat to read and imagine hearing them sing.

On a different note, I noticed you're special educator. We share that.

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen, its amazing how far these little birds fly. Your Yellow Warbler looks lot like our Yellowhammer.

ksdoolittle said...

Thank you all for stopping by for a visit. I have been so lucky this year to welcome new-to-my-yard birds. I just wonder what I miss on the not-so-nice days when I don't venture out of doors!! ~ks

Crafty Green Poet said...

gosh what a very yellow warbler, as Roy says a bit like the British Yellowhammer.

MyMaracas said...

That is a very pretty little bird. How lucky you are to have them around.

I have a male and female cowbird hanging around the feeder. Wish there were some way to get them to move on.

eileeninmd said...

They are gorgeous birds, lucky you to have them as backyard birds. They blackpoll is pretty too, I have only had a quick glance at the blackpoll. Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing.

Rambling Woods said...

I don't have a warbler of any kind in my yard or maybe I don't know what to look for. But you can't miss that beautiful color....Michelle