Out of all of the warblers the yellow-rump warbler is usually the first that we see in spring, the last we see in the fall, and the most common warbler during migration. These birds pass through southern Minnesota on their way to northeastern Minnesota and Canada. They usually do not go as far south in the winter because they feed on more berries then most other species of warblers, including bayberries and wax myrtles which other warblers can not digest. Usually the only yellow-rump that I get really exited about is the first one that I see in the spring because it is a portent that other species of warblers will be arriving soon. This yellow-rump was different though. This is a Audubon's yellow-rump instead of the myrtle variety that we see around here. Out west these are probably pretty common but since I have only seen one or two of these before, and never one that was quite so cooperative, I was pretty happy.
