Get ready for warblers: Pine Warblers are back on territory

 

A male Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) perches, quite appropriately, on a pinecone. This big White Pine (Pinus strobus) was part of his turf. I photographed this bird last Monday in Hocking County, Ohio, and the warbler was probably newly arrived and busy establishing his territory. While small numbers of Pine Warblers will overwinter in Ohio, I suspect this one wintered further south, as most do.

Pine Warblers are the first to arrive back on territory and commence singing and this one was in fine song. Of our breeding warblers - Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata), which commonly overwinters, is not a nester here), the Pine Warbler leads the spring parade. Before long, Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) will appear very soon, then Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia), Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens), Northern Parula (Setophaga americana), and Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) will soon follow up. Not long after the warbler rush will be on.

I watched this Pine Warbler foraging for some time. Here, he rests among dense fascicles of pine needles. I saw him grab a few small caterpillars but was unable to photo-document them. Quite a few species of moth caterpillars specialize on feeding on pine, and a number mimic the needles to a remarkable degree. Thus, Pine Warblers employ a slow deliberate creeping style of foraging rather than the maniacal rushing about of many other warblers. Even for the sharp-eyed warbler, these pine needle caterpillars are probably pretty tough to spot and require more methodical searching.