5/22/2021 0 Comments The Butterflies of the Bird WorldIf April is the month for mucking about in Nebraska's sheetwater mudflats and enjoying all the variety of northbound shorebirds, then May invites us into the woods to look for warblers. In the past three weeks, I've added 40 new birds to my Adams Co. Year List, 13 of which have been warblers (and 4 have been their boring cousins, the vireos, which lack both the busy behavior and the bright attire of warblers, but share similar habitat and migration timing.) I'm not sure who is was who observed that "warblers are the butterflies of the bird world," but the saying about North America's 50-some regularly occurring wood-warblers has stayed with me, and I look forward to their arrival each spring. They'll pass back through in September, but I remember the Peterson Field Guide I grew up had a whole section labeled "Confusing Fall Warblers" because many of them have molted into less vibrant and spectacular colors, so May is the month to see them. But, as far as this blog is concerned, here's the problem. I do all my photography by a method known as digiscoping, holding a small camera -- and now often my iPhone -- up to my spotting scope or even binoculars, which then serves as a long lens. It works well for birds at a distance and birds that sit still, but warblers are constantly on the move, and usually if you're at any distance, there are branches obstructing your view. Most of my photo collection of these birds is made up of shots like these, sufficient for a diagnostic, but certainly not an adequate representation of their true beauty.... We've got some great photographers in Nebraska, including Joel Sartore and Michael Forsberg, and I admire the images of little forest birds that Phil Swanson gets. So maybe just treat yourself and search online for photos of Chestnut-sided or Blackburnian or even the common Yellow-rumped Warbler, all of which I've seen recently at our local migrant hotspot, Parkview Cemetery (which is graced with old trees and a meandering creek along its southern border, a perfect stop for weary travelers to get a drink and eat some bugs.) Or better yet, grab some binoculars, head for the trees yourself, and see them in the wild. That's best. You won't forget the first time you get a singing Yellow Warbler in focus from 20 feet away. Promise.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |