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Backyard Nature Wednesday: Wilson's Warbler

The fall migration of songbirds continues. I find that one of the most popular stops for these birds as they pass through my backyard is the little fountain that gurgles and splashes there. I think it is the sound of the moving water that attracts them and they often drop in to take a bath or to have a sip of water.

 No one seems to enjoy the water more than warblers. Since we installed the fountain a few years ago, I've often observed warblers of several kinds making stops here on their way south in the fall or north in the spring. I usually see Wilson's Warblers passing through during both migration seasons, so I wasn't really surprised to see one drop down from the trees to investigate the fountain this morning.






  

 Wilson's Warblers are tiny, very active birds. This one was constantly in motion as he took the grand tour of the fountain, frequently stopping to take a sip and sometimes splashing in the water. Unfortunately, his "baths" were so quick that I wasn't able to get a picture of him splashing. He stayed for several minutes before he moved on.

 These warblers nest in the far north, along the upper Pacific Coast and far into Canada. In migration, they apparently follow the Gulf Coast rather than flying over water. They spend their winters in Mexico. They are fairly adaptable in their choice of wintering grounds and they seem to be holding their own in today's challenging environment. Their population numbers remain stable and that makes me happy. I hope to see more of these little birds as the migration season winds down.   
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  1. JayneSeptember 16, 2015 at 10:19 PM

    How cute. We actually have the same fountain as you, but the birds rarely go near it. We have it in the island bed and they rarely venture that far away from the shrubs in the back border. I'll have to keep a look out for our namesake Warbler - I'm pretty sure I have never seen one before.

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    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersSeptember 16, 2015 at 10:57 PM

      Your namesake is a lovely little bird and they do pass through this area on migration every year. I always look forward to seeing them.

      Our fountain is located under a redbud and near several shrubs. I'm sure that does make it much more attractive to the birds.

      Delete
  2. rusty duckSeptember 17, 2015 at 9:07 AM

    Aww, he's gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Steph@RamblingWrenSeptember 18, 2015 at 8:24 PM

    Great capture! I was lucky enough to see one of these at our fountain a while back. They look like they are wearing a little black cap on their heads:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersSeptember 18, 2015 at 10:40 PM

      Yes, they could be called the Black-capped Warbler, but I can see why Wilson wanted his name on them.

      Delete

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