Warbler swims in Central Park

Amazing photo and story from Bruce Yolton's website http://urbanhawks.blogs.com/

Bruce writes:
On Saturday morning [9/9/06] along the Lower Lobe, a Chestnut-sided Warbler flew into the duck weed that was covering the surface of the Lake. The bird may have been confused by the color and thought it was landing on solid ground. It tried to get out of the water by climbing up on to a stick in the water without success. The warbler eventually ended up slowly paddling to the shore and safety.


PS from Marie
Yesterday [9/13/06] at the same spot the Early Birders saw a Northern Waterthrush seemingly walking on water atop the same duck weed. Since songbirds must accumulate fat reserves before undertaking their long migratory flights, sometimes doubling their weight after prodigious feeding, it may be that the Waterthrush was in pre-feeding condition, while the Chestnut sided may have already been too fat to "walk on water."