I had another great afternoon of yard birding on n August 16, 2026. Shortly after noon while setting up in the yard I noticed a small bird with rather nondescript features. It briefly disappeared before reappearing at my stone bird bath and taking a “dip bath”… a hallmark feature of a vireo. I managed to get a few distant photos which allowed me to identify it as a Western Warbling vireo. (In 2025 the warbling vireo species was separated into Eastern and Western species so the word “Western” was appended to the species we have here in the Pacific Northwest.)  Unfortunately the bird was at the outer edge of what I consider acceptable range and, other than a brief initial approach, never came closer. 

I had Red crossbills showing up at various times during the afternoon. Most of the visits were by unaccompanied juveniles of indeterminate sex. 

I had what I believe to be a Yellow warbler arrive in the yard and give me ample opportunity for good photos. 

I got a quick glance at a bird that flew into my evergreen huckleberry bush adjacent to the watercourse. I thought it might be a crossbill but a pair of Cedar waxwings (an adult and juvenile) emerged right in front of me at the watercourse. These were the first waxwings I had seen this year!  

Finally, I was more than surprised to have a brightly colored male Wilson’s warbler appear and give me very nice opportunities for photographs. 

As with so much of birding photography, my photos had come at a high cost in time but in for this afternoon my time was well rewarded!