Sadly, many people never take the time to enjoy a sunny May morning searching for the colorful songbirds moving through the treetops. This is prime time and you don't have to be an experienced birder to identify a quick-moving warbler in the canopy. But it helps. Most, but not all, warbler sightings are brief. Focusing on a bird and catching a revealing field mark is the key.
Some field marks are obvious.
This is one of the earliest of warblers to move through, often appearing in early to mid April. Its striped plumage can be confused with no other bird. That and its ability to move about treetrunks and limbs like a nuthatch is about all you need to know to tell this warbler from the others. Keeping your bird book marked for quick access to the warbler section will help. But don't make the mistake of flipping through the pages while the mystery bird's still in view.