Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Many of the birds that nest in the swamp at the Francis Beidler Forest are spending our winter in the warmer climates of Central and South America. However, there are still birds to be seen from the boardwalk, including the season-appropriate colors of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula). For more than 10 minutes, the bird in the image was observed searching under and between the fronds of the Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor). Several other images show the bird with what appears to be a large spider in its bill and later the larva of an insect. The bird was quite rapid in its movements and when it appeared from behind a palmetto frond it was difficult to capture in the camera frame.

The sound of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet can be heard here.