My Own Little Backyard Rarity

Pine Warbler
Pine Warbler sucking down suet dough from my backyard feeder

Well, it’s not a real rarity; according to the OKBirds Wiki, the Pine Warbler is a regular winter resident in Oklahoma, but it’s sure never come around my backyard before. Normally we get plenty of Yellow-rumped warblers all winter but nothing fancier than that. I was surprised, therefore, when it appeared here on the Solstice and I’m amazed to see it’s still coming by, three weeks later. It has taken a liking to the suet feeder and the suet dough, the recipe for which is here. No guarantees you’ll get your own Pine warbler if you put some of this magic stuff out there, but you’ll get all kinds of other birds, I’m sure. I’ve managed to get some photos of him (I think it’s a male from the brightness of the coloration), none very good but, then, that’s why I’ll stick to drawing. My sketches are in focus as long as I wear my glasses. But by holding up the camera lens to my scope, a crude form of digiscoping, I’ve gotten the little critter in the act. Check it out.

pinewarbler.jpg
Oops, that’s a Purple finch sketch I’ve snuck in here. These guys are colored like crushed raspberry parfait, and this has also been a good winter for Purple finches, yum!

4 thoughts on “My Own Little Backyard Rarity

  1. Michelle Johnson says:

    He’s a beauty that Pine Warbler. He seems to be enjoying his suet. I love your drawing of the Purple Finch. I wish I could draw that good.

    I stopped by to say I posted my poem using your photo if you would like to stop by “untitled” I hope to change the title later today. I used a form called Pleiades with my Friday 5 words, too. Hope you enjoy.

  2. Janet Wilkins says:

    He is a beauty but, I always find warblers to be so hard to identify. I wish, too, that I had Purple Finches. I’ve got plenty of House Finches and Goldfinches but no Purple Finches!

  3. wrjones says:

    Lovely color on the bird. I too like the drawing.

    When I try the little buggers seem to be flitting too much for me to handle. I’m thinking of using those mouse glue traps under the bird feeder. Of course I will free them once the sketch is done.

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