Black-throated Green Warbler at High Park: September 24, 2020

Some years ago, I was standing before a group as we were watching a small bird flitting in the shrubbery. “Black-throated Green Warbler” said I. “You’re making that up” said a voice.

Black-throated Green Warbler

No, I wasn’t. There are black-throated blue warblers, black-throated green warblers and black-throated gray warblers though the gray variety is found on the Pacific coast and has only wandered a few times into Ontario.

The dainty little black-throated green is often seen fluttering about, part way up trees, picking off insects from the outer branches. In the breeding season it is found in pine stands or hemlock groves; in migration it seems to prefer birches and willows.

This morning I found one bathing.

Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler

The buzzy song is rendered as “cheese, cheese, little more cheese.”

Other birds:

White-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
American Robin (juvenile)
Northern Flicker (male)
Double-crested Cormorant (juvenile)
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Phoebe
Mallard (female)
Mallard (male)
European Starling
Wood Duck (male)
Wood Ducks
Wood Duck (male)
Wood Ducks
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk

Species list: double-crested cormorant, Canada goose, mallard, wood duck, red-tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawk, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker, eastern phoebe, blue jay, American crow, black-capped chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, white-breasted nuthatch, American robin, house sparrow, black-throated green warbler, common grackle, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, song sparrow. (25 species)

Other life:

Cabbage White Butterfly
Cabbage White Butterfly
Daddy Long Legs
Chipmunk
Red-eared Slider
Dandi Dinmont Terrier

Some botany:

Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)
Crack Willow (Salix fragilis)
Pinkweed (Persicaria pensylvanica)
Beggar-ticks (Bidens frondosa)
Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
Purple-stemmed Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum)
Purple-stemmed Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum)
Red-osier (Cornus sericea)
Glossy Buckthorn (Rhamnus utilis)
Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens grandulifera)
Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida)

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

O sweet September rain!
I hear it fall upon the garden beds,
Freshening the blossoms which begin to wane.   – Mortimer Collins (1827–76) 

Miles Hearn

3 thoughts on “Black-throated Green Warbler at High Park: September 24, 2020

  1. Gloria James

    Thank you for the beautiful photos from High Park. I really didn’t know that hawks existed in Toronto parks. I thought hawks could only be found in more rural areas but there is probably a good food supply for them in High Park.

    Reply

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