Is this Warbler black with white stripes or white with black stripes?

The answer to the title question doesn't really matter, but these warblers are entertaining to watch especially when they show off their uncanny ability to climb up and down trees. In fact, that ability sets them apart from all other warblers. The tree climbing is made possible with the God-given physiology of having an unusually long hind toe and claw on each foot.

You don't usually get the best photos while they are flush on a tree because of the lack of contrast. So, I waited for the little ball of fluff to come up on some branches. Small, but rather fierce, the B & W Warbler is known for its battles with larger birds like Nuthatches and other species. These photos were taken April 25, 2020 near the Zilpo campground on Cave Run Lake in Bath County, (KY).

How was the spring migration?

I didn't get to spend as much time in April and May as I wanted to, but was able to capture photos of two Warblers which have avoided me in the past. Warblers are of particular interest to me and out of the 52 or so North American species, I captured photos of the Worm-eating Warbler and Prothonotary Warbler to add to my collection.

Worm-eating Warbler found in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky

Prothonotary Warbler having breakfast in Iowa.

Part of my intrigue of Warblers is the sheer challenge of finding them and then taking the picture. Most of them are only 4-5 inches in size and are very quick, often jumping around from branch to branch.

Drop me a note and let me know how your birding and photography adventures have been turning out this year.

Snow Birding in Sanibel

Recently, Latonya and I made our way south to celebrate 30 years of wedded bliss! (my description, lol). We envision ourselves as future snow birds since we love the beach and its wide range of complimentary therapies. We ended up in Captiva, a beautiful spot on the tip of Sanibel Island. It was our first visit to this area of the sunshine state, and it didn't disappoint.

I learned that one of our country's top birding spots and wildlife refuges (J.N. Ding Darling) was also located on Sanibel Island and I spent the better part of four days visiting the pristine wildlife sanctuary.

Although it wasn't peak season for the otherwise diverse volume of wildlife that visit Ding Darling, I did enjoy photographing some beautiful herons, spoonbills, ibises and pelicans, but the icing on my bird cake came during my last trip around the refuge when I spotted a Mangrove Cuckoo.

Mangrove Cuckoo

This was a first for me and a bit unusual for south Florida. The Mangrove Cuckoo usually hangs out in Cuba and the coastlines of Mexico so seeing this bird was a very special treat. If you are in the area, I highly recommend visiting Ding Darling even if you are just a casual wildlife observer. The facility allows you to hike, bike or drive around the 4-plus mile road through the refuge. To learn more, I recommend visiting this website. https://www.dingdarlingsociety.org.

Til next time, this is the old Kentucky Birder hoping to see you out on the trail soon.