As I noted yesterday, at least one songbird, the Eastern Phoebe, is loathe to leave. But with a nice traveling wind and balmy temperatures today, we witnessed a small squadron of incoming migrants—these, a collection of pint-sized familiars who'll be with us throughout most of the winter. This little charmer is a warbler that's known by an uncharming name: the Yellow-rumped Warbler, or, as we call it in birding circles—we think of it as a term of endearment—the "butterbutt." There's no mystery as to why the bird got that designation, and it's a great way to zero in on its diagnostic field mark: that patch of bright yellow feathers positioned where the hindquarters meet the tail. An insect eater during the nesting season, the Yellow-rumped has the amazing ability to shift its diet to seeds for the cold weather. That gives it the ability to call our area home for the winter.