Spring Migration is Underway:

Spring Migration is slowly underway and birds are returning in full breeding colours. Baltimore Orioles have found our backyard feeder but are also busily hunting for insects in the tree tops. Look for Baltimore Orioles high in leafy deciduous trees. They are found in open woodland, forest edges, orchards, stands of trees along rivers in parks, and in backyards. (Cornell Lab, All About Birds)

Cape May Warblers hunt insects among branches, sip nectar from flowers, and eat fruit. They take most food by probing and picking. However, they also catch insects in midair or hover to pluck items from leaves and branches. (Cornell Lab, All About Birds)

Deryl took this photo of an acrobatic Black-and-white Warbler. Nests are usually built on the ground at the base of a tree, rock, stump, fallen log, or under a bush or shrub. (Cornell Lab, All About Birds)

Deryl's ears led him to a male Hooded Warbler in Canatara park. Few of us saw it, but many of us heard it. Individual male Hooded Warblers each sing a slightly different song. Their ability to recognize their neighbour may mean that they have to spend less time on territory defense. (Cornell Lab, All About Birds)

I was happy to see a Common Yellowthroat pop up in front of me this morning. This vocal bird sings one of my favourite warbler songs: "witchety-witchety-witchety"!  

Yesterday I watched a Northern Flicker doing home renovations! He spent a lot of time scooping up beak-fulls of sawdust and tossing the wood out of his tree cavity. Flying sawdust is visible in the picture.

Although I don't have a decent picture of a Worm-eating Warbler, Deryl found one for me in Canatara Park this morning! It was the first time I have ever seen the species which usually doesn't fly this far north. It was a great way to spend Mother's Day! Happy Mothers Day to all!