Yellow-rumped Warbler

One of a loose flock of yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata) near the Connecticut River in Northampton. It has not only a yellow rump (its "butterbutt"), but also conspicuous yellow patches on its flanks and a discreet yellow crown (hence "coronata" in its scientific name); all these are more or less visible in this image (bits of the crown are best seen in large).

This is one of several dozen species of our so-called "new world warblers" (or wood warblers), which are generally distinctly brighter in color and patterns than the "old world warblers" of Europe. (Another is the black-and-white warbler I blipped a few days ago.) In most of the U.S. we see them primarily in migration (although in many parts of the Northeast some stay to breed in summer).

This evening our Hampshire Bird Club hosted a superb program called "Winging and Singing", with songs inspired by birds and matching bird photos by me as background. David Spector put the program together expertly and humorously, and the singer and her accompanist were excellent. It was quite marvelous and altogether original.

For me, a favorite song of the evening was Sir Paul McCartney's Blackbird (the link is to a track from a new reissue of the album "Wings over America"). Tonight's rendition was accompanied by this blackbird from our Paris neighborhood.