One of my favorite birds to listen to and to photograph is the Northern Parula, and I saw my first one of 2024 at the Orlando Wetlands on Saturday, March 9.
These colorful little warblers are here for breeding season. In recent days I have heard them around my yard and at the Wetlands, but I had not been able to spot one, let alone photograph one.
But at the Wetlands, on a deserted trail, I heard the Parula’s distinctive song, After looking and listening for a few minutes, I was able to locate it in a nearby oak tree.
Spotting a Northern Parula is one thing, and taking its picture is another. These tiny birds quickly flit about in trees, making it a challenge to get them in focus with a lens before they’re off to another branch.
But Saturday, maybe because no one else was around, this Parula hung out in one area of a tree what allowed me to photograph it for several minutes.