Monday, May 7, 2007

Bay-breasted Wisp of Smoke

Monday, May 7, 2007
3 comments
I endeavored to take pictures of a male bay-breasted warbler on Sunday morning, after the end of the New River Birding Festival. Geoff Heeter, owner of Opossum Creek Retreat where much of the festival is held, and his wife Kyle, had us over to their farmhouse for breakfast and a smidge of birding.

After breaky, we headed over the hill down to the creek, where, in the thickest stands of rhododendron, several Swainson's warblers nest each spring. We caught glimpses of this spooky warbler, but never really set eyes on him. Good thing Zick had gotten great looks the day before (and I, last year) or we might have been bumming...

Back to the bay-breasted. He never sat still, except when he was perfectly backlit or behind a thick bough. Here are the only images not already committed to the digital trashcan.

Cursed branch! Stop vexing me!

Such a lovely bird and still, so shy.

Laws of the Universe dictate that 89% of all warbler images look like this.

Can you find a better color scheme than this?

Blow it up and sharpen the crapola out of it and it starts looking like art.

3 comments:

On May 7, 2007 at 11:29 PM Susan Gets Native said...

Your worst warbler pics look way better than my best.

On May 8, 2007 at 1:14 PM Rondeau Ric said...

I think you understated the %, it's closer to 94.6%

Second Law of Birding:
There are two sides to a tree. The one your on and the one the bird is on.

We have had a cerulian hanging around for a week at eye level.
He hides behind bracnhes when ever some one lifts a camera.

On May 9, 2007 at 4:03 PM mon@rch said...

I so love these bay-breasted Warblers! Great series of shots Bill!


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