Glancing into the cattails, I caught sight of a flash of color and then gradually a bright yellow bird came into view. The tail was partially concealed by the cattails, accentuating the bird’s circular body shape (and everyone knows that the camera adds pounds to subjects).
I have done some internet searches and concluded that this is probably an immature male Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas). Adult male Yellowthroats are really easy to identify, because they have a prominent black mask. Like many bird species, however, young male Yellowthroats look a lot like the females, but gradually develop the mask. It looks to me that this bird may have the first traces of such a mask.
The lighting and camera settings combined to produce images that I really like, with colors that are beautifully saturated. I need to figure out how to replicate this look.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
Those are excellent shots. He is pretty plump!
The bird guides characterize this species as “stocky”– which I guess is a euphemism for chubby.
Beautiful! What a little gem.
You’ve managed to get him to pose against just the right colour of green to set off his yellow front.
Geothlypis trichas or Common Yellowthroat…Great photos, great information.
Beautiful shoots mike, nice and close the way we hope to get them 🙂
Thanks. It’s definitely the way that we hope to get them, though the reality rarely matches the hopes, alas.
His coloring is gorgeous. Looks like an immature male to me too. I’ve been seeing a lot of youngsters this past week or so. Your yellowthroat was kind enough to pose in good lighting, I haven’t been as fortunate.
I was surprised that the lighting turned out so nicely and that my camera settings were about right. It’s nice (though rare) when things come together like that.