Chestnut-sided Warbler photoshoot

Chestnut-sided Warblers are a common species found throughout central and northern Ontario. They favour successional growth areas, so any area that has Speckled Alder, Willows, Raspberry, and similar species is ideal for Chestnut-sideds. It is not uncommon to hear the loud "Pleased-to meet-meet-you" ringing throughout these shrubby areas.

Most of our sites we are working on consists predominately of this habitat type, and often Chestnut-sided is my most commonly encountered species. The other day I was wandering around near Wawa, and a very territorial male Chestnut-sided decided to come check me out.

Chestnut-sided Warbler - Wawa, ON

He sang several times, loudly proclaiming this area as his. Presumably he had a girlfriend sitting on a nest nearby!

Chestnut-sided Warbler - Wawa, ON

It is easy for us here in North America to get used to the gaudy colors of all of our wood warblers and to pass off an individual such as this as "just another Chestnut-sided". But the mahogany "sides", yellow cap and bold black and white pattern really is quite beautiful up close.

Chestnut-sided Warbler - Wawa, ON

One more photo. On this trip, Chestnut-sided has been the most abundant warbler, followed by these species (in rough order). I may be forgetting a species or two.

Nashville Warbler
Ovenbird
Black-throated Green Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
American Redstart
Black-and-white Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Mourning Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Canada Warbler

Plus smaller numbers of maybe 10 other species.

Chestnut-sided Warbler - Wawa, ON