Black and White Warbler

Our dump—OK, transfer station—is located in a sag atop a series of rocky hills that crown our little town, and every time I take a load of refuse and recyclables up there, I reward my efforts with a hike up nearby Lantern Hill. I've spotted numerous treasures on the walk, and this time was no exception. On a gray but warm day, the scrubby trees were alive with songbirds, many of which, I suspect, were newcomers pausing in our area before they headed south. This Black and White Warbler, in full breeding plumage, may have actually bred and raised young on the local slopes, or he—the females are a little less bold in their feathering—may have used the vast boreal forests of Canada as a trysting ground and nursery. In either case, he's busy scarfing down caterpillars and other insect fare as he makes a last push to put on fat, the fuel that will carry him and other B&Ws to Florida, Cuba and the islands, and Central America and South America for the winter. God speed, and may you never encounter towers and tall buildings en route.