The freaky weather we’ve had over the last several weeks hasn’t just confounded the humans, it’s also caused the migrating birds to get backed up in the center of the country. We’ve had so many storms with northerly winds lately that all the birds returning for the summer from Central America, Texas and Florida have had to bide their time in Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Kansas.
I knew things were changing when I looked out the window and spotted my first Chipping Sparrow of the season the other day. The winds have finally turned southerly so the birds can travel much easier from south to north.
I was also thrilled to see my first warblers of the season. Some years I spot a Yellow-rumped Warbler first, but this year they were beat out by the Pine Warblers. I assumed I was seeing a goldfinch hanging out on the feeders and in the lawn, but then I thought better of my assumptions and grabbed the binoculars for a closer look.
Pine Warblers usually hang out in pine trees, but during migration they will come to feeders for seeds and suet.
This little guy was chased relentlessly around the yard by an ornery junco. I don’t know what the beef was between the two but the junco was agitated any time the Pine Warbler entered the yard. The warbler didn’t seem to care one bit. They circled and zoomed around the yard many times, but the second the junco gave up the Pine Warbler went right back to the feeders.
These birds like to jump around in the grass, too, which makes them even more difficult to spot:
Eventually one bird turned into two. They hopped around the lawn together for awhile, but their relationship got a little rocky when they both tried to visit the same feeder:
They’ll probably stay for a couple of days to eat and drink and take a little rest and then they’ll be off again to Northern Wisconsin/Minnesota and Canada where they spend their summers.