Featured Feathered Friend - Yellow-throated Warbler

This week's Featured Feathered Friend is extra special! First the back story. While taking a stroll through Daggerwing Nature Center in early October 2009, we saw this little Yellow-throated Warbler hopping around a cabbage palm (Florida's state tree) just after a light rain shower. You may notice his damp little throat and belly feathers. 

This is one of my favorite warblers. Not only are they beautifully colored, but they always seem to be extra friendly and willing to come close to you to see what's going on. As with this one, he was flitting about on this cabbage palm 2 feet in front of us, and he was very willing to pose for pictures. 

And this picture is extra special because he is my first print that I made for someone other than myself. Nick and I are members of the local chapter of the National Audubon Society. We recently had our December meeting with a potluck and "Chinese raffle." I thought it would be nice to donate a print to help raise money, and this picture was the chosen one. The elderly man who won the raffle for the print had snuck in tickets without his wife knowing because he knew how much she loved Yellow-throated Warblers. He picked up the item and brought it to her and she was very excited! And I was excited that she was so excited. She not only oooh-ed and aaaah-ed over it, but she also asked if I went to Dreyfoos, a local school of the arts. I was flattered and said no, I'm just an amateur. =) I was so happy that one of my prints could bring a little joy to someone else, and I'm so excited to have my print hung up in a stranger's home.