An Orange-crowned Warbler with orange crown actually showing forages high up in a stand of shrubs with nothing but a blue sky behind.

These grayish to olive-green birds vary in color geographically and have few bold markings. There’s rarely any sign of an orange crown, which is usually only visible when the bird is excited and raises its head feathers. They might have you scratching your head until you recognize their slim shape, sharply pointed bill, and warmer yellow under the tail. 

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Orange-crowned_Warbler/overview

An excited male sang this morning moving from shrub to shrub and tree to tree as we intently listen and tried to learn his song.

The male Orange-crowned Warbler’s song is far more variable than that of other wood warblers—so much so that the males can be told apart by their distinctive song patterns. Breeding males often form “song neighborhoods,” where two to six birds in adjacent territories learn and mimic each other’s songs. These “neighborhood” songs can persist for years.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Orange-crowned_Warbler/overview

A true burst of sunshine was a nice start to the day.