Golden Swamp Warblers

Just at daybreak, a flash of brilliant yellow caught my eye.  This was a tad unusual in the marsh!  Rarely do I see such bright colors tossed in among the mud grey and marsh browns.  A small bird was flitting about the reeds.  I was on our pier and the bird was a nigh on a hundred feet away near my brother's pier.  Being as the bird was a tiny thing..perhaps only four inches in length, it was hard to get a good view.  Its constant dance did not help either!  Then another bird joined the first.  My brother has been doing some repair work on his pier and these tiny birds were in and out of the area where is was working.  At first glance, I thought they were hunting a nesting sight but then realized that they were foraging for food.  The adult pair were teaching their young to hunt!  Three little ones were following close behind!

Drawing on memory, I decided these are what were once called Golden Swamp Warblers.  They are one of the few warblers that nest in the area.  Their habit of nesting in trees along creekbeds and their bright yellow coloring led to them being called by this name.  Now, however, ornithologists have decided that this name was not proper and they renamed the birds Prothonotary Warblers.   Personally, I think the Golden Swamp Warbler fits better (and is much easier to say!).  This little bird is one of only two types of warblers that nest in tree cavities.  This got me pondering.  I have been after Mark to cut down some of the dead trees that dot the hillside.  These trees were damaged in Hurricane Katrina and became infested with tree borers.  Eventually, this killed them and now there are dead stalks of trees everywhere!  The woodpeckers have drilled so many holes in the trunks that large chunks of the trees come tumbling down with every high wind that we receive.  Clearing the yard of these pieces of wood has become a nuisance!  Seeing the Golden Swamp Warblers this morning  has made me rethink my stance on the dead trees.  These little birds are becoming endangered in some areas just because of the lack of suitable nesting sights.  Too many folks feel like I did..the dead trees were unsightly and needed to be removed.  Clear-cutting or over-cutting of the trees put so many critters out of potential nest sights.  The dead trees provide homes for not only the Golden Swamp Warblers but woodpeckers, nuthatches and even flying squirrels!

The little Golden Swamp Warblers are welcome to the dead trees in the yard.  As long as these trees are far enough away from the house to not damage the roof, I think I will now request that they are left to stand.  Maybe Mark knew all along!  Perhaps more of the warblers will nest here on the Bayou.  Although they are far from being endangered overall, my dead trees might help them thrive even more.  Then the splendor of their presence can be enjoyed by many other folks who visit the Bayou!