Yesterday I set aside my macro lens and put my telephoto zoom lens back on my camera. Over the past week, I have seen some amazing photos by local photographers of a variety of colorful warblers that migrate through our area in the spring and the fall and I felt compelled to try to photograph them. I must confess, though, that I have never had much success photographing warblers. I can often hear these little birds, but have trouble locating them in the tops of the trees—they seem to be teasing me as they flit about and sing their songs.
I walked around a lot and eventually had several encounters with Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria citrea) at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Some warblers have markings and colors that allow them to be camouflaged in the foliage, but the plumage of a Prothonotary Warbler is such a bright yellow that it is impossible for one to hide.
These warblers never seem to sit still for very long and they move quickly from branch to branch. I was happy that I was able to track them reasonably well, considering that I had my zoom lens extended to its maximum length. It takes some practice to be able to see something with your eye and then be able to point the lens in the proper direction.
I exceeded my expectations in getting these shots and also managed to photograph several other bird species that I will probably be featuring in future postings. Today I will probably switch back to my macro lens and focus again on insects. The transitional seasons definitely keep me busy as I try to keep an eye on close-in subjects and those that are farther away.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Beautiful capture Mike! I love the bright colors on these warblers. Wow!
Thanks, Suzette. The color of these birds is so bright that it almost seems unnatural, but that is actually how they look. It’s definitely a cheery color.
Yes, a small bird with brightly colored hope on its wings.
Well add one to the list I don’t recall seeing. I have been to Magee Marsh during warbler season and the Prothonotary’s range should include that area. Beautiful bird Mike. Thanks
Wow! What a colour.
👏👏👏. Getting shots of these little guys is really hard. Nicely done.
These are beautiful, Mike!!
Aren’t they beautiful birds? They are tricky to watch with field glasses too. Our son is far at this that I am! 😂 I really like the first photo.
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Thank you for sharing these. Who could look at these little fellows and not smile? 🙂
I grew up watching cartoons including those that featured Tweetie bird, an equally bright yellow canary. I like yellow so much that my previous car was a Solar Yellow Toyota Matrix. 🙂
I remember Tweetie bird. lol That must have been one happy car! 🙂
Beautiful portraits. I love the way the bright yellow sings against the blue sky.
Thanks, Laura. Blue and yellow always makes a great combination. 🙂
Wow, so bright!
Thanks, Chris. It is one of the few birds that I can see that can rival the plumage of tropical birds. 🙂
That’s a very pretty bird.
Thanks, Dan. One of the cool things about spring is that many birds are sporting bright plumage, especially the males of many species that are hoping to attract the attention of females.
I’m glad you make the effort to find them.
A very striking bird; your first photo is especially wonderful. It’s nice how the bright yellow fades out to white at the back end! Most pictures don’t show that transition 🙂
Thanks, Liz. That first photo is definitely the best of the batch, but I like to try to provide a variety of views whenever I can, because I know that different folks have different preferences and tasted. It is so cool to see you note the details of the bird–most people are so dazzled by the bright yellow color that they don’t see anything else. 🙂
Oh it’s a real bonus to have multiple views.. thanks for those Mike. And I shared a link to this post on twitter before too.. I think lots of people love these birds!
Thanks, Liz. As I mentioned to someone else, this is about as close as I get to seeing the bright colors of tropical birds. I still would love to see an Eastern
Rosella or a Rainbow Lorikeet in person, though I just discovered that the latter species is considered to be a dangerously invasive species that competes with native species in New Zealand. (https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/threats-and-impacts/animal-pests/rainbow-lorikeet-factsheet.pdf)
I’ve seen and photographed an Eastern Rosella wild, at Dunedin Botanic Garden: https://exploringcolour.wordpress.com/2021/08/02/eastern-rosella/ Usually I can’t get anywhere near close enough!
Wow. That is really cool. New Zealand is on my list of places that I want to visit, as I think you already know. 🙂
I really hope that happens Mike!
I love birds
Great images of beautiful birds Mike! Enjoyed seeing them!
Thanks, Reed. Some years I manage to get shots of warbler, while in other years I miss my chances. This year I was lucky enough to capture a few images.
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