Blackpoll Warbler

In the weekend Telegram, Bruce Mactavish talked about all of the warblers in the province. He mentioned that 16 regularly frequent the area. To date, I have seen ten of them. They are very colorful, small birds that tend to move around a lot and often do not sit still for a pose. 

I was able to get two pictures of the male Blackpoll on Cochrane Pond Road before it was gone and one shot of a female at Kent Pond about a week earlier.

The Blackpoll Warbler is known for its long-distance non-stop 4000 km flights (day and night) to its winter home in South America.   At first glance it can be mistaken for the Black and White Warbler. However, the Blackpoll in its breeding plumage has a black cap with no white streaking like the B&W.  There is an olive green hue on the wings.

This bird goes through a total transformation to an olive green and yellowish color once breeding season is over.  Both the male and female have pink feet but that seems to be one of the few similarities between the genders.