#126: a bird that took me six months to ID!

This is not a recent sighting by any means, but I've been cleaning up the hard drive and came across this picture. I took it last fall at Mud Lake and it was in with a bunch of pics of vireos (which I also didn't ID...because I wasn't sure if they were warbling or Tennessee.. Maybe you'll see them soon too). Well, my new book does a better job of showing ALL plumages (male/female/immature, spring/winter/fall).

So I belatedly realized that this wasn't a vireo at all, but a female black-throated blue warbler (say that five times fast!).

So how do I know this? Basically the white pattern around the eye and the white wing patch. I'll admit that I would still love to see a male, which looks NOTHING like the lady. In fact, whatbird tells me that this bird is the most sexually dimorphic wood warbler: he's deep blue with a black throat....hence the name of course, which is much more accurate in his case!

#126: Black-Throated Blue Warbler (check the link to see the male!); Mud Lake, Ottawa; September 19, 2010

The redpolls are still visiting the yard. Today it was a bit strange to see a redpoll right beside an American goldfinch in his new, bright yellow spring feathers!

This picture, and the weather is getting me really excited for spring migration. I can't wait!