Arriving and Departing

This post was going to be about fall and winter species arriving for the season. However, this morning I ran into a bird that I know is around during the summer, but which I have not seen recently.

The Black-and-white Warbler doesn’t fit the model for warbler coloration. My expectation of a warbler is a bird in yellows and sometimes blues, but plain black and white makes it an outlier.

Additionally, along with nuthatches, Black-and-white Warblers are one of few birds that can walk down a tree.

On the arrivals side, this last Sunday I saw two “FOS” or first-of-season birds: a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Yellow-rumped Warbler.

The other six species of woodpeckers that we see around the park are year-round residents, but the sapsucker heads north for the summer. Not a great shot, but it’s the first of the season. Fairly soon, I’ll be able to see them daily.

Speaking of daily, here’s the first Yellow-rumped Warbler I’ve seen for the fall. In all likelihood, there were probably a couple others around, but this was the first I saw. I like how it was playing peek-a-boo.

In a few weeks it will be possible to see a dozen or more Yellow-rumped Warblers every day around the pond. The Yellow-rumped Warblers are unusual among warblers in that they are quite social, often seen in small flocks.