Yellow Warbler

Our old friend, a female Yellow Warbler, Cancun, Mx: 12/19/10.

While hunting for exotic Mexican birds in the beautiful gardens of the resort we were staying while in Cancun, I saw a flick of yellow flash in the bushes, and my first thought was, "Cool! a bright yellow Mexican Bird!" It didn't stay very still and kept a wary eye on me, but I did manage to snap at least one unobstructed view of this little yellow beauty (Above). Later on, upon analyzing the picture, I couldn't find any bird that looked like this guy - except for our very own Yellow Warbler. I didn't recognize it right away because I didn't expect to see one of them down here, and also because it wasn't in its breeding plumage when it is in Northern Illinois for the summer. (See one of my earliest blogs on these brilliant birds:

http://northernillinoisbirder.blogspot.com/2010/06/yellow-warblers.html .)

Yellow warblers do indeed migrate down to the Yucatan, Central America, and the northern part of South America for the winter.

A couple of days later, while I was exploring one of the trails on Isla Contoy, I again was duped by another Yellow Warbler (Below), that I was stalking hoping that it was another exotic Mexican bird.

Another Yellow Warbler, Isla Contoy, Mx; 12/21/10.

Well, at least we know where our Yellow Warblers go for their winter vacations. Pretty smart little guys, huh?

Iguana of the day, Cancun; 12/24/10.