Lifer #144 - Northern Parula

Northern Parula

It is just the third day into my 10^th year of birding, and I have registered my 145^th bird species for Barbados.  It happened while I was birding at the Graeme Hall Swamp today, looking for two species of warblers, Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) and Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) both of which put in a no show.  An unexpected warbler did show, a Northern Parula (Setophaga americana), a bird considered rare for the island.

Northern Parulas breed in eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida.  It is about 4.3 to 4.9" in length, with a mainly blue-gray upper parts with two white wing bars.  The adult male have an extensive black and rufous breast band and a prominent white eye crescent while young females are plain yellow.

It was a welcome addition to my 110 for ten big year challenge, helping me to close the day with 46 species for the year.