I had a big birding thrill Saturday. As I was looking out the sliding glass door leading to our deck, I saw a tiny bird on a branch very close to a feeder. Then he moved to a feeder and I reached for the camera and started snapping.
It was such a tiny bird, only about four inches. I checked out the beak and thought it was perhaps a warbler but I wasn't sure.
Hmmm, he had a beak like a warbler but was he a warbler?
My husband's brother and sister-in-law were at our house when we saw this darling little bird. He thought the bird was a vireo so I started researching vireo birds.
You can't help but notice the white eye-ring on the bird, the yellow on the tail and the white wingbar. Then I found a website that compared the Hutton's Vireo and the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. There it was, the site showed an image of the vireo and the kinglet side by side. Here is that image with the vireo on the left and the Ruby-crowned Kinglet on the right.
As I read on, it said the Ruby-crowned Kinglet had a black bar behind the white wingbar. Now I knew!
Here's my image, and you can easily see the black bar behind the white wingbar!!
This olive-green Ruby-crown Kinglet is a tiny songbird and the second smallest bird in Kentucky. The male does have a ruby crown that he shows mostly during spring and autumn migration. Wish I could have captures his ruby-crown but I can show you an image that does.
Now I will be looking for the black bar behind the white wingbar for sure! Maybe I will even see his crown!
Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday
We get yellow-crowned kinglets here in NorCal. I may have missed it, but I don't think any of your pictures actually show the ruby crown, which is really just a spot on the top of the head. We also get yellow-rumped warblers. I mention it just because I love the name.
ReplyDeleteOops! How could I have missed that picture?!
ReplyDeleteJudy - what a fabulous sighting! Well done with the identification - sounds like it was a team effort that paid off! I hope you get to see the crown before it moves on!!! Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of warblers and goldfinches right now and it's funny when an odd bird comes in with them. This is a very fun sighting! And you got great pics! Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteHello, Judy
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your Ruby-crowned Kinglet. I have never seen them come to a feeder. They are cute little birds, great photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your weekend!
Very neat Judy! Great photo and research!! :)
ReplyDeleteThey are attractive ones. I've only seen a small portion of its crown once, but never the full view you have on your post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, as always, your sharing with us birders at IRBB.
very cool thanks for the comparison. We have some warblers and finches in our feeder and then that strange one comes along and out comes my ID book
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! What a pretty little bird.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen one - how wonderful that you did!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed day!