Warblers from Thickson's Woods

[Steve Hood]

These are from today at Thickson's Woods in Whitby.


Black-throated Green Warbler


Palm Warber


Black-throated Blue Warbler


Black and White Warbler

[Ally]

:cry: why is your black throated blue really blue? I thought  the one I saw today are black and white :roll:  :x I thought it was a new bird for me

[Shortsighted]

A male BT Blue is genuinely blue but that can only be truly appreciated when the sun is in your favour.
During poor lighting situation, or on deeply overcast conditions the blue tint may appear navy-blue to
black.

Nice selection of warblers and well-captured. Talk about the light being in your favour. You placed
yourself beautifully to utilize those precious rays. I'm surprised that they were all so low, except
perhaps for the Palm. I almost went out there yesterday but decided I couldn't afford the gas. So
I stopped at Meadowvale and thought I would walk to the Beare wetland. Then I discovered that the
zoo decided to remove all the cloth hoods off the no parking signs so that parking is now not permitted
at any time, including during the day on week-days. The signs were exposed only on weekends before.
That came after I tried to pull-over at Amos pond only to find the spot usurped by the zoo with a tent
installation. That came after finding that the path from the playground to the hydro corridor was blocked
by a tree deliberately felled by hydro to prevent passage onto the hydro field. So now I can't reach the
east-west path parallel to the hydro field to walk to the Beare wetland. Everywhere I go there is some
agency trying to keep me out. So I went to Duffin's creek (north) because it is infrequently used. After
I get there I find dog walkers all over the place. On the trail, next to the creek, and right on top of the
snake I was trying to photograph. Dog just walks onto the snake and barks. Not a good day. Should have
gone to Thickson woods.

[Steve Hood]

Shortsighted, I see that you had a very tough birding day.  My day started out the same as I had intended on going to Tommy Thompson Park in the morning but on my way there I realized that I forgot my boots.  I knew the sitting water would be almost knee deep in some areas of the woods, so rather than going back home I changed directions and headed to Thickson's Woods.  In my case it worked out well.

Blue coloured birds are interesting as technically it is not possible for a bird to have blue feathers.  The blue we are seeing is only due to how light is reflected on the feathers.  

https://insider.si.edu/2016/04/blue-bird-not-blue/

[Shortsighted]

Why is it impossible to have blue feathers?
All blue is just the absorption of all light frequencies except blue, which is reflected.
Is there some reason in biology that such a pigment is not possible in birds?
My day was so frustrating that it gave me the blues. If I had Miles Davis on the
CD-player I would have cued it up. I thought of perhaps visiting Thickson on the
weekend but I know that the place will be insanely busy and when there are too
many actors on stage the production becomes flawed, or devolves into a cheesy
comedy.

[Ally]

I have slightly better pics than yesterdays.

I hung an orange this morning, and an oriole came, first of the season. Not too many birds on my walk at lunch time in my trail, a common yellow throat,and I think I heard the distinct voice of a wood thrush, but couldn't find him; I scooped a perched redtailed hawk, and after I came inside, a groundhog came stood up at my glass door looking inside. Maybe checking his reflections. But my lens was too big for him being that close, so missed another terrific opportunity.

[Shortsighted]

You really got a good blue on your warbler even though the light level seems low.
You must have a great deal of vegetation in your yard for all these warblers to
visit. They DO need bushes and trees to feel safe. Only a couple of WC sparrows
in the backyard here. Yesterday there was also a WT sparrow and a Song sparrow.
I guess this is the wrong side of the tracks.

[Ally]

You really got a good blue on your warbler even though the light level seems low.
You must have a great deal of vegetation in your yard for all these warblers to
visit. They DO need bushes and trees to feel safe. Only a couple of WC sparrows
in the backyard here. Yesterday there was also a WT sparrow and a Song sparrow.
I guess this is the wrong side of the tracks.

Oh, yes. I do have quite a bit of vegetation. Thinking about organizing bird walks if the olive-sided flycatcher or the yellow billed cuckoo returns