A visiting Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Isn't it always a matter of being at the right place, at the right time?

With the poor air quality, I was housebound for most of the weekend, limited to making observations through a glass door to the patio. And look who decided to visit,

a yellow-rumped warbler!

I had never seen one of these birds before.

These birds breed in the summer in mountainous areas, in mature coniferous woodlands.

In the winter they frequent open areas, including parks and residential areas, where there are scattered trees and fruiting shrubs.

In the summer they mainly eat insects such as spiders, aphids, caterpillars, grubs and grasshoppers.

Their winter diet includes juniper berries, grapes, and seeds from beach grasses.

Unfortunately, these migrating birds are frequently died in collisions with radio towers and tall buildings.

There are some variations in the Yellow-rumped warbler's markings, but what their distinctive markings are a yellow throat and rump, and yellow patches on the sides.

In the winter their colors are more subdued.

After their spring molt the colors transform to bright yellow, charcoal gray and black, and white.