April 15 2016. Ruthven Park, Cayuga, ON. I think today’s bird of the day marks a turning of the tide, my first warbler of the year, a Yellow-rumped Warbler. I was at the bird observatory doing the daily census and there was absolutely nothing to complain about: no cold, no wind to speak of, no rain snow or ice, just a pleasant, blue-sky, spring day with a manageable smattering of birds to keep me on track: singing Northern Cardinals, Song Sparrows, American Robins, Tufted Titmice and Dark-eyed Juncos. I watched a pair of Downy Woodpeckers chasing and engaging each other like a couple of adolescents, Northern Flickers were calling and Tree Swallows weaving big ariel loops.
This Yellow-rumped Warbler was happily making its way picking for insects in the lower branches of a Bur Oak.
Yellow rumps are the hardiest of our warblers, every year one or two are reported as wintering over around here (or at least attempting to) and many Yellow-rumped Warblers survive the winter quite happily in the southern half of the U.S on a diet of such insects as they can find and the berries of Bayberry or Wax Myrtle. Indeed it is their ability to digest the waxy coating of Wax Myrtle berries that gave the species its former name of Myrtle Warbler. So they are the last to leave and the first to return and are a welcome splash of colour; more so in spring than fall. Pine Warblers and Palm Warblers won’t be far behind.