1 May 2022
May at last! For the next three weeks gorgeous birds will arrive on the south wind, some to nest, others to pause on their northward journey. With colors more vibrant than April’s wildflowers they suddenly appear among new green leaves. Red, yellow, blue, black and white, Christopher T’s photos show them at their best.
Male scarlet tanagers (Piranga olivacea) are not scarlet when they spend the winter in South America — instead they are green — but by the time they’re back home in the eastern U.S. they are the brightest red.
Kentucky warblers (Geothlypis formosa) highlight brilliant yellow with a black cap and mask. We are lucky to have this uncommon bird nesting in Pennsylvania. I-80 approximates the northern edge of their range.
Male indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea) are mottled brown when they spend the winter in Central and South America, but nothing says “blue!” like an indigo bunting in the sun.
Even black and white look beautiful when worn by a male black-and-white warbler (Mniotilta varia) …
… and more beautiful when punctuated by the male rose-breasted grosbeak’s (Pheucticus ludovicianus) exclamation point. Watch carefully when he flies to see the rosy surprise beneath his wings.
Get outdoors this month to enjoy the colors of spring.
(photos by Christopher T)
Today we had a pair of Baltimore Orioles check out our feeders. Last week we had a Pileated Woodpecker at our suet feeder, first one we’ve seen in our woods in the 10 years we’ve lived here. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks arrived a week or so ago. Great to see all of the colorful birds in the woods.