Palm Warbler

Today was the annual Spring Raptor Release for The Raptor Center, although it did not feel very much like spring. My duties included taking pictures and talking to people about raptors, two things which I enjoy very much. While we were waiting for the actual release program to begin I looked down and spotted a small bird in the grass in front of the stage. I thought that I caught a glimpse of yellow and rusty red so I quickly focused my camera on it. Since I was photographing the release I did not have my big lens with me but I could tel through the camera that it was a palm warbler. We have been seeing yellow-rumped warblers for a week or two but this was my first non yellow butt warbler of the year. Like most of the yellow-rumps that we saw hopping around this bird was seriously searching for food and the hundreds of people that were just 15 feet away were not very important at the moment. I am afraid that with the cold snap that we have had the past week that much of the would be prey, bugs, are no longer around which will make things difficult to be a warbler here, this spring. May the 4th be with them!