Prothonotary Warbler

I'm finding out that the best way to promote birding in this area is to find a rare bird, then report it!

So here are TWO! A Prothonotary Warbler arrived yesterday afternoon and allowed me one great photo.

Also a  Swainson's Thrush which is evidently very rare here in the fall, stopped and sampled the garden hose pond and a couple of other local yard sprinklers.

 Prothonotary Warbler is more of a Southeast USA bird. It's normal range has a westward limit in eastern Texas. The are considered a cypress swamp dweller . They usually  nest in old woodpecker cavities . Of all the North American Warblers, only Prothonotary and Lucy's Warbler( a Shoshone Wetlands breeder), nest in cavities.

COME BIRDING IN SHOSHONE! YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE.

Swainson's Thrush

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Phainopeplas are beginning to return in force.They are one of our earliest breeding birds. I would like to figure out if these are Shoshone birds that were born here and will stay and form territories, or are they migrants. There is much  still unknown about this species.

Phainopepla male