Pugnacious

(Palm Warbler)

I saw my first Palm Warbler on a spring morning in a small park in Huntington Beach, CA. It stood, stretched to the max, the very last bit gained by standing its crown feathers up like a 50s soldier’s “high and tight” buzz.

Standing tall, the yellow charmer was two-thirds the size of the Western Bluebird with which it argued, an oblivious inchworm the subject of dispute. Like some High Noon standoff in the shadow of a street side curb, they stared at each other, circling, feinting.

Not one inch did the Warbler give. The Bluebird paused, looked again at the squiggling morsel, and flew off in surrender.

I guess the inchworm was the actual loser.