By KAREN MADORIN
In early July, we explored Ayre’s Natural Bridge, a site not far from Douglas, Wyoming. We’ve driven past a bazillion times and finally exited I-80 to investigate. It’s one of only a few intact natural bridges with water running beneath them in America. But, the highlight for me was seeing and hearing scores of flitting yellow warblers zipping through box elder trees that shade this charming historic/picnic site. This Western Kansan doesn’t see yellow warblers often and never in great numbers, which made that detour a big deal.
Just thinking about our hour wandering along La Prele Creek burbling through a red rock canyon while hordes of warblers presented an early July symphony continues put a smile on my face. Imagine my surprise when my husband recently alerted me to a pair of yellow warblers in our front locust tree one chilly day in early August. Temps never cracked 70 degrees til after 4 p.m. so maybe that triggered a mini-migration….
Due to the cool, every window in the house hung open, so I heard our visitors vigorously chatting out front before I saw them. I grabbed my camera and crept outside where I tucked myself behind the bush next to our porch and sat and sat and sat, listening to vocalizing I’d first heard in Ayre’s Canyon. Swift movements from branch to branch clued me in that these guys weren’t any more likely to pose than those warblers I tried photographing in Wyoming.
Thank goodness clouds held temps down as I awaited my photo op. Periodically, I’d see a tiny, yellow bird swiftly drop from a low-hanging branch to the lawn below to snag an insect and return at warp speed. I could never focus in time to capture a shot. As expected, vivid yellow feathered males showed up better than the paler females. Unfortunately, the males moved continuously, and when they paused, a dangling curtain of locust leaves left me photo-less.
Eventually, I saw we had more than a pair stopping to refuel. At least 5 if not 6 warblers occupied our tree for over an hour of intensive feasting. I learned they prefer caterpillars, but as far as I’m concerned, they can gobble any bug they want from our yard. No matter what they ate, these insectivores left with stuffed gullets.
Finally, they dined long enough that a lone female offered my waiting lens a side shot. After sitting still, my stiff muscles did their job and snapped her picture. Afterward, I re-assumed the patient position, hoping a male would cooperate. No such luck.
Eventually, I headed inside where my husband and I hid behind an open window to continue observing these unexpected visitors. Obviously, the screen eliminated any photo chances, but we enjoyed watching warbler acrobatic maneuvers through the tangle of branches and leaves of that old locust. With humans out of sight, our visitors unconcernedly zipped every direction, snarfing even more six-legged critters.
Who knows what told these visitors they needed to go, but go they did. That tree out front got awful quiet once they departed.