Backyard and Beyond

Debonair male Black-throated Blue, Setophaga caerulescens. They winter mainly in the Caribbean, with some going to the Bahamas and some to the eastern side of the Yucatan. Seen here October 19.While the male BTB sports the same general plumage in the off-breeding as in the breeding season, Palm Warblers (Setophaga palmarum) are much more subdued off-season. In breeding, the birds have russet-red caps and breast streaks (at least here in the east; there’s also a western version). These birds can winter in Virginia, or Honduras. These pictures are from October 18, but I saw several as recently as 11/11.Black-throated Green (Setophaga virens) female two Sundays ago. Late! She could be heading for the Caribbean, Central America, and down into the northern rim of South America.Here’s to a happy Thanksgiving of openness and inclusion. Let’s give thanks for freedom from fear and ignorance.