Amongst the many colourful little warblers in North America, some have a special appeal: some are crazily colourful (think yesterday's Prothonotary), some have a tale attached (one day I will catch up with Golden-winged, and cease to think about what might have been in that Tesco's car park). One in particular has a bit of everything: beautiful colours, restricted wintering range in the cloud forests of Colombia, rapidly declining as a breeding species in stately American forests, a walk-on part in Jonathan Franzen's last book... and as it happens, one of the healthiest remaining populations is in Shenandoah National Park!
Driving into the park with the windows wound down, ready-primed having listened to the song online last night... and as we came round a corner, I distinctly heard the same song coming from the forest by the road. Pulled over, walking back along the verge. And there it was above me. A wonderful male Cerulean Warbler, singing his little heart out. Simple as that! By the end of the day I'd seen and heard two more males, but neither was as good or as close as that first little pearly-blue stunner.
Hooded Warbler. Just an 'also ran' today, as were the singing Black-throated Blue Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Ovenbirds and American Redstarts a-plenty...
Barred Owl. Pretty much the first bird we saw on entering the Park, sitting next to the road, wondering where the night went.
Yellow Lady's Slipper
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