It's time for Answers!

It helps to look for field marks such as wing bars, eye-rings that are split or complete, leg color, etc. Females of each species are often duller in plumage. Best of luck and have fun!

10-25-19 Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler - yes, this one is a little tricky because this female is not showing off its named-for diagnostic field mark. 

10-6-19 Blackburnian Warbler female

Blackburnian Warbler - this bird is a first year female, it has very pale markings.

9-29-15 Tennessee Warblers

Tennessee Warblers - these are first fall birds and they often come in small flocks together.

10-15-19 Orange-crowned Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler - a first fall female with dull, grayish, streaky plumage and whitish split eye-ring. 

The next series of photos are followed by labeled photos with the answers on them.

9-25-18 Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, and Bay-breasted Warblers

Three Warbler Quiz!

Three Warbler Answers

Six Warbler Quiz! Six Warbler Quiz! Answers

Yes, that is a real photo! Migrating birds often travel in mixed flocks. Think about 'safety in numbers'. Hope you had some fun learning about these special tiny birds. They'll be showing up very soon. Now, for a few of the latest sightings here at Shady Oaks. 

7-19-21 Red-shouldered Hawk juvenile

A young Red-shouldered Hawk was seen one day, hunting near the garden.

7-29-21 Northern Flicker female

7-29-21 Northern Flicker, juvenile male 7-29-21 Northern Flicker, juvenile male 7-29-21 Northern Flicker, juvenile male 7-29-21 Northern Flicker juvenile male

The Northern Flickers had a successful brood of at least 3, two males and a female. The female is shown first after bathing, the two males follow. One of the males has a bit darker markings and perhaps it's the older nestling.

7-29-21 Northern Flicker after Roughleaf Dogwood berries

That flicker has been after the Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii) berries. It's the first time I've seen a woodpecker species go after them.

7-29-21 American Robin after Roughleaf Dogwood berries

The American Robins showed up the other day and they were all over them, too. There were at least 36 robins here, and I even saw two young Eastern Bluebirds near the pond, the first young birds of the year. I suspect the bluebird family wanted to get in on that action, but there were just too many robins around. In the following video, a robin is in the upper left corner working on the berries when two does and two fawns come in.

7-31-21 Ruby-throated Hummingbird #1 7-31-21 Ruby-throated Hummingbird #2

Last but not least, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird numbers are starting to pick up. They are chasing each other at the feeders and through the garden, too. I watched a young bird at the Black-and-Blue Salvia, then it went on to the Pickerel, Indian Pinks, and Cardinalflower blooms. This cool front today may bring more in as well.

Enjoy the migrating birds!