Palm Warbler
Before I left for downtown two Sundays ago, there was a young rabbit outside my front door between me and my car. There was also a very nicely kept spider web attached to one of my front stair railings.
This will be brief, as was my last warbler flock experience.
My first lakefront park stop was the area north of Buckingham Fountain.
I saw more warblers than I was able to photograph. In all, there were maybe 8 species. Above, Cape May Warblers, below, American Redstart.
Also available, a Red-Breasted Nuthatch…
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Palm Warblers (above) dominated the flock. Across from all the activity was a fenced-in garden area where this transforming Northern Cardinal was feasting on seeds.
Northern Cardinal through a fence
Then there is the warbler below. I struggled over this ID but now I’m thinking it is a Cape May too.
I made my way over to Millennium Park and went up the stairs to Lurie Garden. The only warbler I found is below. Since it resembles nothing else, even though the mask is barely visible, it must be a Kentucky Warbler. It remained low in the foliage and everything else about it said Kentucky Warbler to me.
Below, one more of my best subject – the Palm Warbler enjoying a worm.
There was no noticeable activity elsewhere that morning, and it’s been slow ever since. A strange, fitful migration season. But I am grateful for whatever birds I have seen and hope they are making safe trips to their winter homes.
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The warblers are good but the web was better.
Sadly I think the web-creating spiders are done for the season now. So I’m glad I had one.
It does seem to be a “strange, fitful” season. Here the weather can’t decide between summer and autumn, but it keeps raining regardless. I saw frost warnings up in your area. Keep enjoying it in comfort while you can!
Yep, the heat went on this morning. But the moment the sun came up the mosquitoes were back in business.
nice I can enjoy couch birding. 🙂 your knee is better?
It’s better but not done yet I hope. Or maybe this is as good as it gets. I’m walking better so I guess I can’t complain. And those brief moments when I forget about my knee are more frequent… Thanks for asking. I’ll write you soon.
Warblers are so tiny. Do you search for them with binoculars or a telephoto lens?
I start out looking for movement, and warblers tend to move a certain way because they are trying to grab bugs. I tend to use the camera lens more often than the binoculars if I think I can grab a picture. Sometimes I don’t know what I’ve photographed until I develop the pictures later!
See my previous comments on warblers. 🙂
I often photograph a bird and enlarge it to get the ID. Easier than skill and binoculars.
I follow this method constantly. Sometimes it takes five or six photographs all in a row to figure out what the bird is, and it might come down to the undertail coverts or the wingbars or even something like the color of its feet! But I guess it’s all part of paying attention or…being obsessive.
🙂