Carol Duke Photography Has a New Home

Thank you for visiting here. You can see hundreds of Carol's photographs over at her new website ~ caroldukeflowers.com  I hope you can come and visit. Best Wishes.

A Bestiary ~ Warblers ~ Northern Parula

Two years plus have passed since my monthly posts featuring Warblers began over at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. The next to the last warbler in the series — the Northern Parula Setophaga americana, is presented this month in 'A Bestiary — Tales from a Wildlife Garden.' If you would like to see more images and learn about these unique, small warblers please do visit — A Bestiary.

Perhaps you can match the names to the bouquet of birds above — Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Northern Parula, Common Yellowthroat, Chestnut Sided Warblers, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Palm Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Nashville Warbler. There is a Redstart there too, which will be the last warbler to appear in my A Bestiary.

Treasures of a Wildlife Garden

Wishing Everyone A Happy New Year! 

A compilation of some of the wildlife captured in the gardens and fields of Flower Hill Farm in 2013.

A Bestiary: Songbirds ~ Black-and-white Warbler

The latest installment of my 'A Bestiary . . . Tales from a Wildlife Garden' is just out and you can see it over at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. The Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia, is the featured warbler for the month of December.

The B&W warbler is a strikingly striped songbird of a rather energetic nature. Surprising antics along with certain physical attributes make for more than just a black-and-white tale. To learn more . . . click the link above.

A Bestiary: Songbirds ~ Black-throated Blue Warbler

For two years now I have been writing about the beasts that share our wildlife habitat here in Western Massachusetts. One installment a month published over at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. This month, while most of these birds would be nearing their overwinter sites, I offer the twenty-fourth installment of 'A Bestiary . . . Tales from A Wildlife Garden' featuring a small songbird . . . the stocky and striking Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens.

You can learn a bit more about this industrious warbler by clicking on the link above. If you live on the southern most tip of Florida you may have them overwintering in your garden. The Black-throated Blue Warbler dons its slate-blue and black markings all year round which greatly helps in identifying it correctly. The female may confuse the observer, however, as she is quite different and once experts thought the two to be different species. The white patch on the wings of both female and male warblers is one telltale sign. These two do not necessarily choose the same winter site habitat making it even more difficult to pair them up. The male chooses a lower forest elevation where the female is more lofty in her choice of higher shrubby microclimates.

A Bestiary: Songbirds ~ Black-throated Green Warbler

The Black-throated Green Warbler is featured in this months installment of 'A Bestiary . . . Tales from a Wildlife Garden.' A delightful warbler that can be somewhat tame at times. I had a sweet encounter with this little immature warbler who was curious about the human watching him and decided to come closer to find out more about me. 

You can see more images and learn a bit about this plucky warbler over at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. 

A Bestiary: Songbirds ~ Magnolia Warbler

'A Bestiary' continues . . .  this month featuring the medium sized and strikingly marked Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia. I first sighted this little songbird kicking up detritus from within pots on the terrace garden. It was May 2009 and proved to be, so far, my only close-up encounter with this beautiful warbler.

A rather bold breeding male sits with eyes focused on mine. Magnolia Warblers breed within young stands of conifers. You can learn a bit more by visiting my recent installment over at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens.