When Camouflage Doesn’t Work

Northern Parula eyes spider (click for larger image)

A Northern Parula in late summer sees a spider camouflaged on a lichen covered perch.

Northern Parula Catches Spider (click for larger image)

If that bird had not tried to catch the spider, I probably would never have noticed it in the image.

I often embed lichen-covered perches within the cedars where we photograph warbler flocks in spring and late summer. Spiders live in the cedars and the perches are often occupied by the spiders in late summer. In the spring midges get caught in the lichen crevices and local warblers such as Black and White, Black-throated Green, and American Redstart, as well as Northern Parula, can visit to feed on them. We look forward to this possibility when photographing the warblers at the spring warbler workshops.