A Magnolia Warbler drops in for a visit...

I caught sight of this fella yesterday morning while I was eating breakfast outside. He was scouring the branches of the tall Rose of Sharon bushes right next to our table looking for (and finding) juicy green caterpillars. This is the first time I've ever had a Magnolia Warbler drop in for breakfast, and I must admit I quite liked it...

 

Good Morning, sweet bird!

If you look closely in the photo below, you can see a green caterpillar wriggling around in his bill. He worked through all five of the tall bushes gleaning caterpillars as he went. Then he flew up to the maple tree I was sitting under and found tasty treats there too.

Thank you, Mr. Mag, but you keep the caterpillar. My oatmeal and blueberries are enough for me! 

Magnolia Warblers are not summer residents in our area. They are just passing through during spring migration on their way north to their nesting grounds. Eat up, fella! You'll need your energy to make it to your summer home. Maybe I'll see you on your return visit this autumn during fall migration as you wing your way south to your wintering grounds.

...right above me!
Magnolia Warbler field marks are so clear. Even the underside of his tail feathers is a giveaway...half white, half black.
You don't even need to see his facial markings to identify him.

You can come for breakfast anytime, you sweet Magnolia Warbler, you! 

...chalk up another new yard bird for our new house.  I love living by woods! 

Magnolia Warblers at Magee...

This evening I was working at my desk when Rick came in and said we might have snow on Tuesday. Really? More snow? After a sigh, my mind decided to ignore the snow announcement and went instead to Magee Marsh in May. It will be green there, and sunny, and small twittering birds will fly from tree to tree before landing right in front of me while I walk the boardwalk. ...yes, yes, Magee in March...that's good! Much better than snow now...

A brightly colored Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) sang in the tree above me. I was walking the boardwalk at Magee Marsh during the Biggest Week in American Birding 2012 warbler festival when I saw him. So beautiful...and close! 

Magnolia Warblers are just passing through Ohio when we see them in the spring. They are headed much farther north to their nesting grounds in Canada. A few might nest in the hemlock gorges in eastern Ohio, though, because the microclimates in the deep ravines mimic the cooler climates of the north, but most are headed north and rest up along the boardwalk at Magee before they make the big trip over Lake Erie.

With a beautiful black necklace and striking black stripes on a yellow chest and belly, this neotropical migrant is a standout. I see Magnolia Warblers along the Little Miami River during spring migration as well, but they usually don't come as close as they do along the boardwalk at Magee Marsh! 

Yes, my little colorful friend, you are much better than snow.

...the flurry and hurry of spring migration. I like this photo because it captures that constant movement and excitement of the season. Birding at the Biggest Week is always an adventure. You never know what kind of neotropical migrant will show up. The birds are exhausted from the first leg of their trip, so they stop off along Lake Erie and Magee Marsh to fuel up and rest a bit before they depart for the last leg of their journey north.

If you'd like to see a video of a Magnolia Warbler singing, click here for a video on YouTube.

I can't wait for the Biggest Week in American Birding. This year it runs from May 6-15. I'll be there birding and blogging, and I'm going to teach a class on field sketching for beginners on May 12 and May 15. If you want to learn how to sketch in the field and create a nature journal, click here for info on the class--you do not have to be an artist to learn to create field sketches!

      

Hope to see you at 

The Biggest Week!

A very pretty Magnolia Warbler on the Little Miami Trail

I saw a lovely Magnolia Warbler on the Little Miami Trail today. He was busy gleaning insects and foraging with a Tennesse Warbler.

With most neotropical migrants I prefer the

striking alternate breeding plumage of spring, but

with the Magnolia Warbler, I like his more subdued

nonbreeding basic plumage so much more. I love

his little gray head and the white eye ring. In this

photo you can even see his fall gray chest band.

...oh look, the little Magnolia Warbler is giving me the old

hide-behind-the-branch-till-she-takes-the-camera-off-me routine.

The neotropical migrants in my area are very good at this!

...just for you, Dave!

Although not the best quality, I like this photo

because it shows the white basal half of his tail,

which is a nice field mark to look for.

...and an even better view of those unique tail feathers!

The Tennessee Warbler was just as good at hiding as the Magnolia Warbler...here is a glimpse of him.

This spring I saw a lot of Tennessee Warblers on

the Little Miami Trail...I was glad to see one this fall.