I was a little shocked (and really happy) to see this Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica) at the edge of the water rather than high in a tree yesterday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, allowing me to capture some of the bird’s beautiful markings.
A couple of weeks ago I caught a glimpse of a Yellow-throated Warbler for the first time, but that bird was high in a pine tree and too far away for me to appreciate fully its beauty. When I read about the species, I learned that it likes to spend its time near the top of the pines. So when I spotted a bird hopping along the rocks at the water’s edge yesterday, I was not expecting to see a Yellow-throated Warbler.
It was a cold, cloudy day and all of the colors seemed subdued—most of nature is still clothed in its monochromatic winter gard. My heart rate jumped when I saw a flash of bright yellow as I gazed at the little bird through my telephoto lens. It didn’t completely register on my mind that this was a Yellow-throated Warbler, but I knew for sure that it was a warbler.
When it comes to small, hyperactive birds, seeing them is one thing—getting a photo is an entirely different matter. One of the biggest challenges about using a long telephoto lens is locating the subject quickly when looking through the lens. It is a skill that improves with practice, but there were numerous times yesterday when I would locate the bird and it would move away as I was trying to acquire focus.
I followed after the bird, trying to keep it in sight as it moved down the shoreline. I was on a trail that paralleled the water, but there was often a strip of vegetation that separated me from the water and the warbler. Eventually I was able to get a few photos of the beautiful little bird before it disappeared from sight.
Whenever I see a new species, I am excited to get any shot of it, but then I seek to improve on those initial images. That was certainly the case with the Yellow-throated Warbler and I am hoping that I will be able to repeat this cycle with a few more warbler species this season.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
I smiled at our description of trying to get a photo of small, flighty birds. As the kids say, been there, done that. These are great — thank goodness some of the warblers have their distinguishing marks.
Tiny active birds and big lenses… yap, that’s a challenge! You did really well Mike!
Great captures of this zippy fellow out in the open, Mike. Love that patch of yellow. Small birds take a lot of patience and practice, and a dose of luck. Nice that this one left the trees.
What a beauty.
So cute, love it!
You have a couple of beautiful portraits of a darling little bird. I particularly like the second one as the colour of the pebbles makes the yellow colour in the plumage more emphatic.
Benjamin and I think that this tiny fluffy little fellow is beautiful! It appears that he is tiny indeed when viewed on the stones.Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
What a beauty!