Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
The Wood Warblers of the New World are quite different than the Warblers of the Old World. For one thing, the vast majority of these small birds are attired in contrasting colors of yellow and black. One of the notable exceptions would be the Bay-breasted Warbler, a species found nesting in the spruce forests of eastern Canada. William Bartram referred to it as the “little chocolate-breasted titmouse.” Turns out he was more descriptive than accurate. Still, this warbler is distinctive when compared to the others in the family.
That is, until nesting season is over and they morph into what Roger Tory Peterson called just another “confusing fall warbler.” You can hardly blame Peterson, the champion of bird identification, for his comment, when those characteristics which a few months earlier made identification much easier have all but vanished.
Paul, too, seems to value two qualities which make us distinctive. Notice how he refers to the church in Macedonia. “Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor.” (2 Corinthians 8:2 The Message) He then continues to celebrate that fact that even in these trying conditions the church was more than generous in their giving. We will all experience springs and falls in our life. May we be one of those which retain true colors.