Bachman's Warbler Carving 110

In a few weeks spring will be here, but in South Florida it already feels like springtime. The oaks are blooming, the weather is getting warmer, birds are carrying nesting material, and spring wildflowers area blooming.  Early March is also the time when the extinct Bachman's Warbler - Vermivora bachmanii,  would be passing through this area (one record of a bird wintering in Florida also exist).  The last confirmed sighting was in 1962 and unconfirmed sighting was in 1988.  In Florida, the last sighting was in 1977.

I carved this Bachman's Warbler out of basswood, its painted with acrylic paint, and has german glass eyes. The stand is wood painted with a black tile base.

Bachmans Warbler , Vermivora bachman's

David Kramer February 2018

Same carving placed in blackberry thicket. The habitat which it would be found in.

Another shot with palmetto and blackberry.  Other birds, which this species would associate with were present, such as: Palm Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warbler. 

A photograph of the carving in a pine tree, in a similar style of the only known photography of this species ever taken. 

Photo on the right: the only known photo of a live individual 1958.
Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agricultural Research Service

I hope you enjoyed this post, and hopefully this species could be found one day. It is very sad that none of us have the pleasure of seeing this species alive, and emphasizes the importance of preserving habitat to be as close to what historically was. Also, to focus on the study of its closet relatives the Blue-winged Warbler and Golden-winged Warbler, both of which have had devastating population declines. 

Happy Spring 2018!