It seems like I am increasingly spending my time trying to track small birds as they energetically flit about in a tangle of newly-emerged leaves. In their aggressive foraging for food, they rarely seem to pause and pose for me on isolated branches, so I am figuring out ways to integrate the foliage into my photos.
Here are a couple of images of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (Polioptila caerulea) from this past weekend at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge that show not only the birds, but also a part of their environment. As I was doing a little research on this gnatcatcher on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, I was a bit surprised to learn that gnats do not form a significant part of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher’s diet—they eat all kinds of insects and spiders.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Benjamin is so intrigued by all the little details made more visible when the photos are enlarged. In the first photo it is the “pretty colored feathers”, the “white circle around his eye” and his “open beak.” In the second photo it is the “tiny green leaves”, the “stuff growing on the bark” and all the parts of the gnatcatcher’s body. Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
Once again Benjamin demonstrates that he has a sharp eye. I love the way that he enjoys the details–it’s the very reason why I try to get in as close as I can and strive to have my images as sharp as I can get them.
Your bird images continue to impress.
These are gorgeous, Mike!
Both are lovely shots. I am especially drawn to the first one. There is something about the way you’ve handled the lighting in that shot that appeals to me.
Reblogged this on Wolf's Birding and Bonsai Blog.