skip to main content

Vireo, 2 warblers, gnatcatcher

rachel_frome_ky

17 years ago

It rained most of the day, but was partly sunny for a couple of hours, so I dashed into the horse pasture orchard where I heard a male Red-eyed Vireo singing.

I want to take as many photos as possible before the leaves are fully opened and block the light
{{gwi:1362511}}From 4-29-09

Then I scurried up the mountain to see if I could find the Scarlet Tanager I saw yesterday. I didn't see it, but heard the buzz of a Blue-winged Warbler and stopped to take some photos through the brambles

From 4-29-09
{{gwi:1362516}}From 4-29-09

Suddenly, a tiny yellow bird appeared in a sapling just ahead of me..a Kentucky Warbler! I'd been following their songs for two days through the brush without glimpsing one.

From 4-29-09
{{gwi:1362520}}From 4-29-09

A tiny Blue-gray Gnatcatcher had been following, buzzing at me and finally came close enough for a photo

From 4-29-09
{{gwi:1362522}}From 4-29-09

Right after I got home, it started raining again!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

susb57
17 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Rachel your pictures are awesome!

Sue
rachel_frome_ky
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Thanks!
DuBois was pointing out how large and colorful the birds look in the cropped photos, but as anyone knows who tries it, just finding these tiny, fast moving gems in the tree canopy isn't easy, much less getting close enough for a photo with my 400mm lens. Thank Heavens for the Canon EOS 40D .6 crop ratio!
Even tho I posted a few of the best pics, what isn't seen is the 200 blurry photos taken yesterday that were deleted (LOVE digital cameras).

Also not mentioned is time spent scoping out birds in the rain by ear to locate their territories, then crawling in the leaves, ticks, dirt, brush to get 100s of mostly blurry photos from attempts to manually focus through branches. This task becomes almost impossible, given the limitations of the Canon 40D-not to mention my own eyesight-once the leaves fully open and the woods close in with darkness.

I know people like Mark Eden, Bob, and Jeanner make it look easy, but I don't take their photos for granted!
Related Discussions
Ovenbird, Hooded Warbler, White-eyed V
Q
Comments (2)
I guess I shouldn't be lazy and only post the link to my photo album; been twittering became used to taking shortcuts. I'll put the actual bird photos on another post
...See More
Id of 2 birds near Chicago
Q
Comments (1)
A and B look more like a thrasher than a thrush....because of the tail length. The C-D bird looks like a vireo to me. hard to tell size in your pictures.
...See More
the party's started, everybody's here...
Q
Comments (1)
WOW!! What an incredible variety of birds you have-and you know the locations of their nests, and keeping track of owl and hawk babies! I hope your friends and family pony up and help you purchase one of those high powered scope cameras that are supposed to come out this year. That way you can post amazing photos of intimate birds life without disturbing them. With my 400mm lens I have to get within a few yards of a bird to get a decent shot. As for people noticing wildlife, it must be experiential as well as cultural. If people have been exposed to birdwatching through their family, or through having bird feeders they might notice birds.Or not. My kids certainly heard all about it, but could care less. Since locals do their birding through a rifle scope they mostly notice game birds. In Mexico, people don't even SEE wildlife because animals don't matter there. Three foot iguanas can stroll around and nobody even glances at them. If I ask people the name of a bird, they don't know what I mean. In Haiti, most wild animals, including insects are "bete."
...See More
Cerulean, Yellow-throated, Blue-winged Ws etc.
Q
Comments (4)
Rachel, Great photos of beautiful birds. I saw my first Cerulean 2 years ago while birding/walking where I live and my first ever Blue-wing Warbler flew right into my own yard Thursday while videoing my EBB nestlings fledgling. Unfortunatly, I didn't get a photo, too busy with the fledgling, but it was a sight to behold. Renee
...See More
JoanMN
17 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Beautiful, I especially love that blue-winged warbler! Never seen one before.
JoanMN/FL
blake1112
17 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Loved your pix Rachel! In particular the Blue Winged and Kentucky warblers. They are both lifers for me and I'm hoping to get a glimpse of them when I head out to Magee Marsh next weekend for the big bird count. Woo hoo, can't wait.

Related Stories

GARDENING FOR BIRDS What to Know About Birds Nesting in Your Yard

By Mitchell Parker

Learn how to observe, record data and help ornithologists with NestWatch’s citizen science project understand bird trends

GROUND COVERS Native Alternatives to English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra and Periwinkle

By Curtis Adams

These shade-loving ground covers are good for the environment and say something about where you are

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Sambucus Nigra Caerulea for the Birds

By Debbie Ballentine

Blue elderberry is a favorite of birds and other wildlife in its native California

Sponsored

More Discussions

ID OWL IN S.E. MICHIGAN z5b

0