Last month was the Spring migration for most birds here, whether they spent the winter here or further south, they leave and head back north. One bird which spends its Winters in Carribean, and the very south tip of Florida, is the Cape May Warbler. In late May a large wave of them along with other warblers, vireos, etc, pass through Florida; and the best part about it is they're in their bright spring plumage!! I was really happy to see a very bright male with dark rufous cheeks, much darker than I've seen before ...though it might have been the lighting. He was with a flock of 12 American Redstarts, and a few Northern Parula, at the Morikami Museam and Japanese Garden in Delray Beach, FL. It's a great place for warblers because of the variety of trees, native plants, and water features. If you find a fruiting fig (Ficus sp.) around this time of year, you're sure to see a variety of birds eating the fruits or insects on the fruits. So after I saw this warbler I was really inspired to carve him. I had been wanting to carve on for a while now too!
Me, at work, with the almost finished Cape May Warbler. I have always tried to make each of my birds true to size. I research measurements taken from banding birds and use them as a guide when carving.
The Cape May Warbler is the first bird I've made with an accessory. This is the fruit of a Shortleaf Fig, Ficus citrifolia, made out of wire, wood, and painted with acrylic paint.
The finished spring male Cape May Warbler, sitting on my faux bois table from Martha Stewart.
The faux bois planters behind it are all planted with Florida native plants, that area native to the South Florida counties.
Another view of the finished Cape May Warbler and ficus fruit.
I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your spring and a very safe and happy summer.
Thanks for visiting!
