Have You Ever Seen a Foybird??

They're here!!!!

Common Yellowthroat - male

Spring Migration is in full swing.

A few weeks ago, we posted about the start of this amazing time of year: the welcomed arrival of the first male Red-winged Blackbirds, Killdeer calling from fields, American Woodcocks doing their evening courtship dances. Flooded farm fields full of dabbling ducks. Turkey Vultures soaring on stiff wings, searching the landscape for tasty carrion. Tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglets, never still, always active, singing the loud sweet songs heard only in early spring. 

The first insect eaters arrived right on schedule: Eastern Phoebes checking out last year's nesting locations on porches and under barns, and Tree Swallows claiming bluebird boxes for their own.

Great Blue Herons and American Bitterns returned to Vermont's swamps and wetlands. Osprey set up housekeeping.

And now it's May - and new birds are arriving every single day. 

Birders talk about FOY birds, for First of the Year. And we have seen a lot of FOY birds in the last few weeks.

Yellow-rumped Warbler - female

May is warbler month. A few of these usually small, usually colorful, and usually active birds arrived in April, after astonishingly long flights from the Caribbean or South America - but the main push is happening right now. 

In the last few days, we have enjoyed Pine Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers, Black-throated Blue and Black-throated Green Warblers, an American Redstart, and one large and impressive Palm Warbler. Take a look at a few of these beauties!

Black-throated Green Warbler - photo by Jane Ogilvie

American Redstart

Palm Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Common Yellowthroat - female

We've also seen two members of the warbler family that don't sport the dazzling colors of many of their relatives. Ovenbirds have colors that blend well with the forest floor where they make  their little "pizza oven" nests. And Northern Waterthrushes really do look like thrushes; they're a lot bigger than most warblers and are dressed in streaky browns, tans and grays. 

Northern Waterthrush - immature (photo from last year)

Many other species have also returned to Vermont. Gray Catbirds are singing, copying, "meow-ing", squeaking and whistling from thickets and brushy areas all over the state. For several years now, we've had a pair nest in a part of our yard that has fairly dense foliage - and a few days ago, we saw one bird checking out the area.

one of our Gray Catbirds

The early-arriving Tree Swallows are now sharing the skies and the bugs with other species of swallows.

Barn Swallow

We haven't seen this species yet this year, but Great Egrets are being seen all over the state. This is a bird you can't overlook!

Great Egret

May brings lots of other wildlife, too. Moths and butterflies are beginning to be seen. Bumblebees are busy all over the yard, along with several other kinds of bees. 

Mourning Cloak Butterfly

And garter snakes are basking in patches of sunlight, warming up after their long winter sleep.

This is an amazing and heartening time of the year, giving us all intense pleasure, beauty and hope. We urge everyone to get outside and enjoy it!

[text by Maeve, photos by Bernie unless otherwise credited]