Xploring The Nature

This male Golden-winged Warbler was seen today at the Convention Center Gardens at South Padre Island, TX. It perched in the shade of the trees for more than 5 minutes allowing great views, many still pics and a little video.

This little warbler likely just arrived on this barrier island after migrating across the hundreds of miles of the Gulf of Mexico. Sadly it appears to have lost most of one leg.  The warbler is basically sitting on the branch rather than standing on it as many birds do, likely due to having only one whole leg.

In the bottom two pics the remaining leg stump is visible and it has some twisted piece at the end maybe indicating a recent injury.
It did seem to forage pretty good by hanging from it's one good leg as seen in the pics just above and below. SeEtta

Golden-wingedWarbler on South Padre Island, TX from SeEtta Moss on Vimeo.

This Golden-winged Warbler has been seen at Sheepshead--the Valley Land Fund Lots since yesterday.  I have only seen a few of these very eastern warblers though my first one was a rare vagrant in far southeastern Colorado (Two Buttes black hole migrant trap). 
 This was my best observation of a Golden-winged Warbler as I watched it foraging for about a half hour late this afternoon.  When I stood very still it came to within 2 feet of where I was standing which is how I got the very close up view above. These pics can be seen closer by clicking on each pic as they enlarge nicely. SeEtta