common yellowthroat warbler harris lake park | Best Life Birding- Birdwatching Tours

While birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill N.C. last week, I spotted this handsome male Common Yellowthroat warbler.
Like visiting with an old friend, I’ve been keeping an eye on this bird all summer and it’s wonderful to see him at a reliable spot.

These brightly colored warblers are one of very few that will nest in open marshes with a range that stretches from from California to the Carolinas.
They can be found foraging for insects such as dragonflies, caterpillars, spiders and beetles near bodies of water who’s shoreline is ringed with scrubby trees, dense bushes and tall grass.

As you can see by these photos, some of the vegetation here in central North Carolina is already turning brown as the autumn season approaches.
The Common Yellowthroat is a year round resident in the coastal regions of N.C. They generally stick around the Triangle area through late November but occasionally will spend the winters here as well. Mountain populations of these birds will hang around until October before their depart for warmer climates in the south eastern states.
There’s still plenty of time to go see one this summer so get out there and enjoy them!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds

Had a delightful encounter with a male Common Yellowthroat this morning while birding at Harris Lake Park in New Hill North Carolina. I’d been watching a couple of Orchard Orioles high up in the pine trees when this handsome little guy flew onto a branch right above my head.

He hopped around a bit stopping to sing every few minutes to an unseen counterpoint somewhere in the brush surrounding me.
Then he stopped and stared at something on a branch nearby. I thought he might have a go at trying to eat what he found but perhaps this particular meal might have led to him biting off more than he could chew, lol!
He eyed it for a bit before taking off in search of a more suitable meal.
Check out the next photo to see what he was considering for breakfast 😉

Common Yellowthroats typically feed on small insects and spiders, probing in dead vegetation and in bark crevices for hidden 6 & 8 legged meals. Their short wings make them weak fliers, so as was the case with this gorgeous bird, they’ll typically hop from perch to perch while foraging, and they fly distances in quick bursts, a streak of yellow skimming low over thickets or marshes.
Such great looking birds, they never fail to capture my attention no matter how many times I’ve seen them!