Warblers are so small and hide so well in the trees that I almost never see any. This past week, however, I spotted a flash of yellow in the distance and I was able to capture some shots of what I have been told is a Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum), though it is hard for me to confirm the identification, considering how much many warbler species look almost alike.
I took these three shots from the same spot on the boardwalk at my local marshland park as I looked across a field of cattail and other vegetation. It’s interesting to note how much the feel of the photos changed as the warbler moved from perch to perch.
Normally I try to get close-up shots of my subjects, but I decided not to crop in on the first image, which reminds me of a Japanese ink painting with its sparse use of color and emphasis on lines and shapes. The background was so interesting in the second image, that once again I did only a minor crop. In the third image, my favorite element is the warbler’s tail.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
My favourite is the first image. I love the textures and colours.
Thanks, Chris. It’s always a challenge for me to analyze which of my images I like most and why (and I go back and forth depending on my mood). I figured the one with the multi-color background would attract the eye of readers, but the one with the white background is my personal favorite–it has an understated beauty and simplicity.
Nice get; those little bugger are quick and well…warbly whenever I’ve tried to shoot them. Perhaps they don’t understand that I shoot them only with a camera and to capture their beauty.
…or they are in a big hurry to get things done. The only reason I was able to get these shots was the fact that I was shooting at long range and the warblers were relatively exposed.
Congratulations! Warblers are great little birds and sound divine but never sit still. Amelia
Thanks. I don’t know much about the warblers, but I can testify to the fact that they move about a lot.
Little rusty cap and a stripe through the eye–that’s the Palm Warbler indeed. We have lots if them move thru here, but none stay in the summer. You probably have a lot of migrants passing through now?
We do. This early in the season, it’s hard for me to spot the migrating birds–there are still a lot of leaves on the trees. In a few more weeks, it’s get easier.
My favorite is also. I love delicate bird – all together a delicate and sweet composition.
“Delicate and sweet”–I love your description of the image. Thanks.