May 17 2007
Bang! And there was a Magnolia Warbler!
Randye here with another “exciting” bird sighting! I was sitting at my computer this morning, when “BANG!” — something bounced off my window and fell to the porch roof below. Lo and behold, there was this tiny and very dazed little bird.
Excited, I grabbed for my camera, only to find the batteries dead. So I ran downstairs to grab new ones and to my delight, the little bird hadn’t left yet. I tried to take a picture through the glass so as not to disturb our visitor — no luck. But since the flash didn’t bother him, I figured slowly opening the window was worth a shot. And it was!
I quickly emailed my picture to Paul and we went back and forth on what species our friend might be. After some deliberation, we’ve determined it’s a Magnolia Warbler!
(Follow the link for more info, pics and to hear its call!)
For the record, our new friend hung around for a good 30 minutes until it made a full recovery. How do I know he recovered? Because I can now hear him happily warbling away!
Paul here: Forgive me, but I wanted to add to Randye’s post.
The Magnolia Warbler is a migratory song bird. We only get to see them in this area during the spring and fall as we are at the far southern end of their summer breeding range. These tiny little suckers spend their summers in Canada and winters in central America in southern Mexico, Central America, the Greater Antilles, and other islands in the Caribbean. That’s a huge migratory route for such a small bird.
These birds eat mostly insects in forested areas and, unfortunately, their numbers are dwindling because of deforestation throughout Central America. This makes seeing one even more of a treat.
Cool Magnolia Warbler facts:
- The Magnolia Warbler has specific habitat preferences during the breading season in order to feed its young.
- During the winter it inhabits a wider habitat range, from sea level to 1,500 meters in elevation, while staying away form cleared fields.
- It was named in 1810 by Alexander Wilson who collected a specimen from a magnolia tree in Mississippi.
- The male Magnolia Warbler has two songs. One for courtship and around the nest, and the other for territory defense.
7 responses so far
Boy, those flamingos keep showing up in the neighborhood. My be global warming.
Can’t say as I have ever seen a Warbler around here. As a matter of fact, I have never seen one ever. I hope the bird did not hurt itself when it hit the house (window).
We were pretty psyched to see it too. I’ve still never seen one, but have to live vicariously through Randye at this point.
The bird was fine. It sat on the roof, stunned for a bit, but then resumed it’s bird-like activities and was warbling away the rest of the morning. We assume that it continued it’s northward migration to its breeding grounds.
nice shot! back in tn, i actually saw a few indigo buntings, which are so beautiful as well. this little dude is particularly cool looking. a little tiger bellied gift from momma natura.
Hey, Judah. Long time, no comment.
I’ve subscribed to the blog you share, but haven’t seen much from you end–or maybe I have the wrong one. Lemme know.
Sad news about the bird, I’m afraid. I found the poor critter dead on the back lawn later that afternoon. I suspect that the run-in with the window and the territorial nature of some of the local birds did the poor sucker in. Very upsetting, considering that such a little creature made quite a long trip and still had a way to go. (Sigh)
Ho-ah Paul,
Indeed long time, no comment. Hope things are going well for you at Helium! My blog still exists and is updated twice a week at: http://judah.webanalyticsdemystified.com.
I am also sad to hear about the bird. Have you ever read Richard Wilbur’s poem “The Writer.” It has nothing to do with this event other than the fact it too references a bird (a dazed starling, if my neurons still work). It just popped into my head as I wrote this. You may enjoy it Mr Wordsmith.
Enjoy!
Judah
Judah, I’ve subscribed to the RSS feed, as a matter of fact. Analytics certainly do need demystifying.
I believe this is the poem you’re referring to. Thanks for sharing.
The Writer
by Richard Wilbur
In her room at the prow of the house
Where light breaks, and the windows are tossed with linden,
My daughter is writing a story.
I pause in the stairwell, hearing
From her shut door a commotion of typewriter-keys
Like a chain hauled over a gunwale.
Young as she is, the stuff
Of her life is a great cargo, and some of it heavy:
I wish her a lucky passage.
But now it is she who pauses,
As if to reject my thought and its easy figure.
A stillness greatens, in which
The whole house seems to be thinking,
And then she is at it again with a bunched clamor
Of strokes, and again is silent.
I remember the dazed starling
Which was trapped in that very room, two years ago;
How we stole in, lifted a sash
And retreated, not to affright it;
And how for a helpless hour, through the crack of the door,
We watched the sleek, wild, dark
And iridescent creature
Batter against the brilliance, drop like a glove
To the hard floor, or the desk-top,
And wait then, humped and bloody,
For the wits to try it again; and how our spirits
Rose when, suddenly sure,
It lifted off from a chair-back,
Beating a smooth course for the right window
And clearing the sill of the world.
It is always a matter, my darling,
Of life or death, as I had forgotten. I wish
What I wished you before, but harder.