The combination of a heat wave and lack of rain no doubt made our Feeder Garden, with its mister and three birdbaths, quite appealing. But lately temps have fallen and it's been rainy the past week or so.
Thus a retrospective post, recapping a splendid several weeks.
Carolina Chickadee, Prothonotary Warbler, and Chipping Sparrow enjoying a dip.
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| Image courtesy Steve Mattan |
Black and White Warblers are regular visitors to the yard, and breed here. They were almost daily visitors during the show.
Prothonotary Warblers were, and still are, daily visitors, usually more than one. We've had four several times and one day six (!) at the same time.
This was the bird that convinced us we really had a hit. Not one but two Worm-eating Warblers.
I've a birding friend, former WSB teammate, for which the Worm-eating Warbler was a nemesis bird. Not that he had never seen one. Just that he had never seen the entire bird at the same time. I guess this wouldn't count, as the two are hidden behind the wall of the birdbath.
And the hits just kept on coming.
This, (or was it several?), Hooded Warbler was a repeat visitor.
A Blue-winged Warbler paid a visit.
And here a Pine Warbler waits its turn.
And then there was 'Stubby', a tailless Common Yellowthroat. One of several Yellowthroats to visit the gardens.
While the other birds flew in for their visits, the Ovenbirds (yes several) preferred to stroll out from the woods edge.
This Prairie Warbler was definitely a flyer and spent most of its time in the trees about the yard.
Male ...
... and female American Redstarts round out the Magnificent 11.
This shot pretty much sums things up.
Birders travel to see just one of these birds. Patty took this shot from our living room. I'm thinking all the work we've put into the gardens: The deer fence; The plants; The water features. Yeah, they were all worth it. Even more so during Covid times.
A magnificent start to Fall migration for sure.
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Unless otherwise noted, all images courtesy Patty Rehn.
