By Sally Siko

Now that the dust is settling from a busy autumn migration it’s time to start looking around to see what new birds have arrived.
One of my favorites is the Palm Warbler.

The nice thing about these little guys is that they tend to forage for a meal closer to the ground more so than other Warbler species. This means that they are (usually lol) a bit easier to find.
Always on the lookout for a six or eight legged snack, Palm Warblers may be spotted in open fields, dense brushy areas and at the edges of forests. The best ID indicator is to look for their flicking/ bobbing tails as they make their way among the branches and grass.

Despite being named for a tropical tree, Palm Warblers actually spend most of their foraging time walking and hopping on the ground, or in low brushy undergrowth while randomly plucking at insects.Weirder still, Palm Warblers nest in the boreal forests and bogs of Canada and although they do spend the winter in Florida, they don’t actually hang out in the Palm trees.Truly an odd name for a bird IMO.
Now that these beauties have returned to the Tarheel State to spend the winter you should have plenty of opportunities to find one over the next few months before the depart for their breeding grounds next May.

Look for them in short grassy fields or in semi open areas near water containing low dense, brush.Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa#5Ds