Fregata facts.

Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) are pelagic piscivores, which means they snatch fish from the surface of the ocean.  They do this on the wing, do not alight on the ocean, or plunge into it, pelican-style. The bill is long and hooked, well-suited for fish-snatching.  Frigatebirds also occasionally harass other fish-laden birds until they drop their catch, and for thus are also known as "Man o' War Birds" or  "Pirate Birds."  Arr.

In Puerto Vallarta,  they perch and preen (and poop) on statues.

They are among the lankiest of birds, the spider monkeys of the sky, with pointed wings and fork-ed tails.  They are fantastic fliers, able to stay aloft for extended periods; one source I read said "day and night."  To which I reply, "How can you see them in the dark?"

They are not particularly easy to photograph in flight.

Males in breeding condition have an inflatable throat sac, which is scarlet.  They are not the least bit subtle. Adult females are white-throated

Adult female, and palm trees.

Were I to create a statue, I would want it graced by a Magnificent Frigatebird.

Warblerama on again.

 It was off this morning--rain and coolness and quiet.  Mid-afternoon I started seeing warbler-flits in the lilac and pear.  I reloaded the suet the crows had pilfered, and within minutes two Audubon's were wasting a lot of energy fighting over food enough to feed an army of yellowrumps.

Audubon's are one of those birds extremely common, yet pretty enough that it isn't easy to simply brush them off as "Just another..."

Also very common, not quite so pretty, but interesting in its greenness, is the illadvisedly-named Orange-crowned Warbler.  Every spring they bash around in the Pieris bush, knocking blossoms to the ground.

Yellow tops (and bottoms).

I can't remember ever seeing so many Yellow-rumped Warblers over a two-day span.  Yesterday and today have provided impressive numbers.  They're everywhere.

 Yellow cap.

The neighbourhood soundtrack is punctuated by their chip-notes, as in ones and twos they dart from tree to tree, street to street.

And how many people notice?

The usual.

Today I saw one attack a preening Robin.  The Robin was completely befuddled.  I wasn't aware that warblers have it in for Robins. 

The aforementioned rump.

There were several Golden-crowned Sparrows in the yard this morning too.  Oh I love spring migration.  Every morning is Christmas.

Update: There are yellow-rumps a-plenty in Illinois, too.  Note that those birds have white throats, thus are "Myrtles."  Most or all of the birds I saw here today were the yellow-throated "Audubon's" form.  These two forms were formerly considered separate species, but some years ago were lumped.  It is possible that some time soon they may be split again.  Taxonomy is more vibrant than you might expect.

Spring migration.

The neighbourhood is alive with migrants today, mostly Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warblers.  But best of all, was this year's first Pygmy Meadow Trundler:

Tick!

No, I am not the only person who posts images of feral shopping carts.

Terra Nova terrapins.

Two old veteran Red-eared Sliders have hauled themselves from the mud to blink at the recent, brief sunshine.  They share vague memories of plastic palm trees and the puffed-rice blandness of ant eggs shaken from a cardboard can.

Game on.

The recent (short-lived, I fear) nice weather has brought a wave of migrants--plenty of Yellow-rumped and Wilson's Warblers and Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows (above).  Some WCSPs overwinter here, but you can tell by the extreme dapperness of this bird that he is on his way somewhere special, is just passing through.

Spring migration in south-coastal BC is a slow, drawn out process, nothing like the explosions back east. Clearly though, spring has arrived, grudgingly, and we are well underway.  Game on!