Twitchiest Warbler of All: the Redstart

[@MHarenArt]

What a delightful story! Thanks for sharing.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

It was my pleasure to share it. Isn't the Redstart a stunning bird?!

[@MHarenArt]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Yes. If I think I've seen one before! So pretty!

[@WellaWally65]

Oh my! I hadn’t seen this one! My goodness! Such beauty!!

[@geraldinefields1730]

Delightful to watch. Thank you.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, Geraldine, I enjoyed watching them over and over as I put this movie together.

[@travisbicklejr]

Yes! American redstarts are some of my all-time favorites! Thank you!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

What can I say? Agreed.

[@sylphofthewildwoods5518]

I just adore your clever narrative and the fantastically plumed characters you share with us! Jo, you never fail to bring a smile to my face. Thank you!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Aw, that's a sweet compliment, lady. That's the kind of comment that keeps me motivated to do good work. I appreciate it.

[@WellaWally65]

SAME HERE! Ms. Jo is as informative as she is funny when explaining all these gorgeous Birds to us! God bless her!

[@sylphofthewildwoods5518]

@@WellaWally65 Absolutely, Jo is the BEST! 🥰

[@WellaWally65]

@ SHE SURE IS!!

[@emilycorwith1119]

Loved this!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks for letting me know that, Emily. The Redstart is my favorite warbler.

[@williamkaczmarek3996]

Another quick but very nice video. Thank you so much!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks, William. Just curious: is there some length of video that you prefer?

[@WildBlessings2]

So true and a darling video Jo. Many thanks.☺

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@WildBlessings2 thanks. Those warblers are a challenge and a half to get footage off, as I’m sure you well know.

[@audra1976oliver]

Boy do those Warblers move about quick. They are so pretty. I love their pretty tails and colors.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Agree, agree, and agree, Audra. I really enjoyed making this movie and watching them all the time.

[@audra1976oliver]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME thanks! Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. 🙂

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, I have been trying to get footage of White-throated Sparrows quarreling. I've done this topic before, but not with this camera. It will do slomo almost as cleanly as my last camera, but it provides much crisper, more vivid footage. I hope you enjoy the rest of your own weekend.

[@wintermoonomen]

Must be pretty small for Hummers to pick on, then again Hummers can be pricks! Regardless, very very beautiful birds even if they pop around like popcorn kernals exploding.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@wintermoonomen Not only are the warblers small and fidgety, they usually hide in the foliage pretty high up. In spring time, birders often complain about sore necks from craning to get a glimpse of them - warbler neck, that's what they call it..

[@a.m.v.6938]

What a beautiful little bird, I wish we had them here in the west. I was surprised to see how small they are compared to a sparrow. Great video and always a pleasure to hear your voice. Thanks Jo.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I always look forward to hearing from you. Surely you do get warblers on the West Coast? I’m afraid I’m pretty ignorant about the habitat and the wildlife out there. In any case, if you don’t get Redstarts, you’re being deprived of a little pleasure. but of course, you get all kinds of little pleasures that we in the middle of the country don’t get to see, like shorebirds and acorn woodpeckers. Thank you for mentioning your surprise about their diminutive size. I’ve only ever managed to get one shot that showed a warbler next to a much larger bird. But I am grateful for the one I’ve got, because it really gets the point across. Thanks, as always, for letting me know that you enjoy hearing my voice.

[@a.m.v.6938]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME their are some that supposedly migrate through our area but I have never seen any. From what I’ve read they mostly live along the coast and in Southern California. But you are right because we do have so many other beautiful birds here so I shouldn’t complain. 😉

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Aw, feel free to go ahead and complain. We all want more (money love, and in our case birds), don’t we?

[@studiolook]

I love watching your vids with my mom ❤ we are both big bird fans, and fans of your channel!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks for taking the time to tell me that! I do love to hear it.

[@gregsmith3410]

Reminds me of the rufous sided towhee... always twitching brilliant white tail edge feathers.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yeah, Greg, I hear ya.

[@gregsmith3410]

@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME oops 😬 Sorry... Eastern Towhee... My bad ..

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

​@@gregsmith3410 no apology needed. I didn't even catch it.

[@OspreyFlyer]

As I slowly saw all the common and uncommon birds where I began birding in earnest years ago, the American Redstart was on my short list to be seen. One September day I saw a female at the edge of some brush but wasn't certain. She then began hovering with fanned tail and I knew I had observed my first AMRE!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

We're so lucky to have woods and a water feature to bring the warblers into our yard where we can SEE them! Thanks for the anecdote.

[@ricardogoodman1750]

Wow that's what they are I've seen one here in the Bahamas for the first time a few days ago

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

The Bahamas--so that's where mine went! I'll bet he riveted your attention, and I hope he gave you a good look.

[@stephenswift9868]

Thank you for the video, a pretty little bird. Here in the UK we have a Redstart also it’s a black/grey bird with a vivid red tail. Just like you described!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

So, Stephen, yours is exactly like ours, the same species? That would make sense, considering that part of the name for our bird comes from old English.

[@stephenswift9868]

I’ll be honest I don’t know if it’s the same species on both sides of the pond. If they both share the same Latin name I suppose science thinks that’s the case. The body types and behaviour is similar but the colouration is a little different. The Redstart over here is a kind of “sooty” black/grey for the most of its body with a graduated red underneath and a flash of white on its brow, just above its eyes. Postscript: I’ve just looked on Google to see what the wisdom of the internet thinks and apparently the American Redstart is a “New World Warbler” and the UK Redstart is a “Old World Flycatcher “.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you for doing the homework! I was interested in what you found out.

[@christinasornbutnark1208]

What a description comparing them to a flung rubber band 😂

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@christinasornbutnark1208 thanks, Christina. I thought it was an apt comparison, though you are the only one who has mentioned it.

[@riverbender9898]

I know a bit about derivatives old English and old German but had never heard heard of "start" for "tail". I'll leave that path quickly though. It's likely that the entire Redstart world would prefer 1058 to 2XXX. Some people might as well...Thank you for your charming edification, as always.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

It’s not like I actually know anything about old English. I just reported what I read. So let’s say that about that word we are guessing. But I wouldn’t even consider it a guess to say that the warbler population - most birds, in fact - would have preferred the year 1058. Robins have thrived with the arrival of Europeans, as have Cliff Swallows. There might be more birds on that list, but it would still be a short list. As always, it’s good to hear from you and to read your always flattering take on my latest movie. Thank you.

[@riverbender9898]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME You are most welcome. Your videos deserve great praise.

[@riverbender9898]

❤

[@ricardogoodman1750]

To be exact its the Orange and black one

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

True, Ricardo. Orange-black Warbler would have been the right name for these birds.

[@ricardogoodman1750]

It was a beautiful sight to describe it I'm in my 40s and never seen one of those

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@ I didn’t see one until I was well into my 70s, so you got me beat.

[@SimplyGobsmacked]

I don't think I've ever seen a warbler, or maybe I mistook them for small sparrows or something. We are wintering in Spain now, have been here for a few weeks. I love sitting on my balcony and watching all the birds fly by, but for some reason there is a noticeable (and for me, shocking) lack of bird life this year. I hope they're just off wintering in Morrocco, but we're here this time every year and there has always been plenty of birds to watch. 😕

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Uh oh. Cross your fingers that it's just a fluke. I'm not surprised that you've never seen a warbler. Unless you have binoculars and plenty of determination, you're not going to see these "hide in the high up foliage" whip quick sprites. The woods behind our house bring them onto our property, and the man-made stream bed in the yard bring them out where we can see them. I love being able to share these hard to spot birds. Did you see the short I posted a week ago about two Chestnut-sided Warblers quarreling?