May Morning on Misty Ridge

Yellow Warblers are almost always found in riparian areas, so I was surprised to hear one or more singing this morning at my place west of Willamina, Oregon, at about 700 ft. elevation in the foothills of the Coast Range. There is no open or flowing water within a half mile of Misty Ridge. I assume they were just migrating through the area, and stopped briefly to hunt for bugs or caterpillars. In the photo below the yellow has turned to green because of the sunlight shining through the maple leaves.

In contrast to the warblers, White-crowned Sparrows may be the most common birds on Misty Ridge now, and certainly the most conspicuous. I sometimes hear them singing even during a passing rain shower when almost all other birds have gotten quiet.