The Warbler Show

Sunday started out slow. The expected rain never came (nor did it on Saturday), the air was still and it was very humid. I did some yard work, pond maintenance on both the fish and back ponds, while Patty went on a bike ride, training for an upcoming group ride.

As we were sitting in the living room, relaxing after lunch, I remarked that the birds seemed to have all gone away.

I was wrong.

At around 1:00 the American Redstarts showed up. There are three in the image below, starting with the black and orange male and two females increasing in blurriness to the right.

We saw five females at any one time, although only the one male.

Who was much less camera shy today.

And then a Northern Parula, seem here eyeing a Tufted Titmouse, briefly stopped by. We would see it about the gardens off and on, but it never came back to the birdbath area.

The Titmouses (Titmice?) did.

Much to the displeasure of the Redstarts.

This round goes to the Redstarts.

The Titmouse would get its turn.

Making an even briefer (and blurrier) appearance was this Chestnut-sided Warbler. I managed two shots before it was gone.

The fun ended when this noisy Carolina Wren came barging in. Too much activity near its nest perhaps?

(Is "noisy Carolina Wren" redundant?)

Things settled down, with only the Titmice (Titmouses?) flying about. And the Wrens bringing food to the youngins. And Patty and I went back to reading and listening to music.

And then,, this time around 3:00, it started up again.

As before it was the Redstarts that started things off.

Checking things out.

He's back!

Splash about ...

... shake dry ...

... a bad feather day ...

... a bit of preening will fix that.

And then Patty spotted this bird peaking out from behind the leaves and bouncing from tree to bush to this Pokeberry.

And then briefly out in the open. A White-eyed Vireo. 

And then a Prothonotary Warbler made a appearance. 

Which upset this Carolina Chickadee for some reason.

The Chickadee needs to learn to share, there's plenty of room for everyone.

The Black and White Warbler knows.

As do the two Titmouse (see what I did there?).

And we'll leave with that with which we started.

Not a bad day of birding for never leaving the living room (well, except to get a beer).