Spring Sing

Spring is finally showing up here in Philly. Us Nerds are getting anxious to see our colorful little friends who spend the winter in Central and South America return for summer. Some of them build there nests and raise their young right in our area. Others are just passing through en route to locations even farther north. This week gave us just a little taste of migration season. A common migrant in spring is Northern Parula.

Northern Parula

Worm-eating Warblers are early migrants and breed locally in NJ Pine Barrens. Here is one looking for a worm in an Oak tree at Belleplain State Forest.

Worm-eating Warbler

Other early migrants include the White-eyed Vireo. You can here them throughout the woods saying "Dick Vermeil spits" or at least that's what it sounds like to us older Eagles fans. This guy practically sat on our heads which is odd. They usually skulk in the bushes. You can actually see the white iris that gives this bird it's name.

White-eyed Vireo

There is alot of singing going on now as the males advertise their worthiness for mates. I captured a few of them in mid-song. Here is a Chipping Sparrow belting out his trill.

Chipping Sparrow

And this very common male Cardinal is letting it out too. I know we see them every day, even in winter, but they are pretty nonetheless.

Cardinal

Here is a bird that we don't see singing often. This male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was singing from the top of a tree at Peace Valley Park. The photo is cropped to show him singing so it may not look that great zoomed in.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

My favorite singer from last week has to be this male Blue-winged Warbler. They have the best buzzy song. This guy nests at Peace Valley Park every year. They like an open field near cedar trees and brush which is right where we found him buzzing away.

Blue-winged Warbler

My new computer and new Adobe LightRoom program has made it pretty easy to process and post photos. I still have alot to learn about LightRoom but I'm getting the hang of it.