Dan McCulloughI’ve been trying to photograph this little houdini for a month now. You know… see it, grab camera, focus, tee-hee, fly off. Rinse and repeat.
Had to settle for “through the kitchen screen.” Will have to do for now.
[Black and White Warbler]
Dulce Maria@danmccullough oh I like the stripes on his head
Bosque Bill@danmccullough I also have a collection of distorted through the windshield wildlife photos.
@bosquebill That would be a great gift idea. Book of bird portraits with enclosed pane of glass so you can distort the images anytime you want. 😂
Alex Haist@danmccullough excellent ruffled feathers
@alexhaist There’s a thin, sunny strip between the back of my house and the edge of the woods that ascends up a steep hill with sassafras and small birches to perch on. The birds just love to preen and fluff up here - whether it be in the branches or taking a dirt bath directly below.
It’s like the local bath house. 🤭
@danmccullough with fruit loop and wintergreen scents from the trees to perfume their feathers
@alexhaist You had me at fruit loop. 🤭
@danmccullough I want to start a sassafras grove somewhere in our yard... I love them.
@danmccullough (so far no luck. The rocky poor quality soil isn't exactly their thing.)
lfisk@alexhaist @danmccullough Your ground is likely good enough...
There use to be some (Sassafras) growing along the Rail-Trail where I'd often turn to come back. There were Prickly Pear Cactus growing within feet of them.
Ground was kinda nasty there due to it being an old railroad right of way...
@lfisk @danmccullough we are on old farmland. It should be good enough! But sassafras also hate being transplanted. So far, they have just died tragically.
Jer 🚲@alexhaist @lfisk @danmccullough
"Oh, wilt is me!" it collapses, a leaf to brow.
@alexhaist @danmccullough Excerpt from old Michigan Trees Book:
HABITAT
Prefers well-drained, stony or sandy soil; woods; abandoned fields; peaty swamps.
NOTES
Rapid of growth. Suckers freely. Difficult to transplant. Propagated easily from seed. Oil of sassafras is distilled from the roots and bark.
Maybe try finding some seeds to plant🤔
@lfisk @danmccullough seeds should be doable...
Idzie@danmccullough I keep hearing them, but haven't spotted one all spring!
@idzie They’re usually one of the top 3 arrivals I get here along with Pine Warblers and Louisiana Waterthrush. But I tend not to get many.
But super fun to ID! “Ok, I see… black… and some white… with some… black and white on the wings… and its crown has black and… hey, it’s a Black and White Warbler! 😂
@danmccullough they are extremely distinctive, aren't they 😆
Do all three breed there, or are they just passing through?
@idzie All 3 breed here and they let me hear about it all spring/summer long. 😂
@danmccullough haha that sounds wonderful, if also noisy!
Derek Price@danmccullough Dunno... Kind of sounds like that bird is a bit of a peeping Tom