Yellow-rumped Warbler foraging on the bank of a creek – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/500, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
If I have said it once I have said it a thousand times that bird photography isn’t easy. Two days ago I had a marvelous opportunity with loads of Yellow-rumped Warblers in a canyon of the Wasatch Mountains where the bushes and shrubs seemed to be dripping with them as they foraged near a fast flowing creek.
Everywhere I looked I saw the warblers flitting around searching for prey or perching briefly before taking wing again.
The Yellow-rumped Warblers were hard to photograph because they didn’t stay still for long plus the settings were a bit messy between the bushes, shrubs, grasses and other vegetation which made focusing on them a challenge.
One of the other issues was the width of the creek because there wasn’t even a remote possibility of getting closer to the energetic little birds, it was simply impossible.
Plus I had problems when the clouds would move past and block the sun light from reaching the bottom of the canyon which caused my shutter speed to drop like a rock.
My best photos of the warblers were taken when they were near the bank of the creek because that is when they were the closest to me.
Although this Yellow-rumped Warbler was in a messy setting I love the inclusion of habitat in this photo.
I took a couple hundred images of the Yellow-rumped Warblers as they flitted around in search of prey next to the creek and after reviewing my images I only found a few that I felt were worth keeping.
I’d hoped for more but it is what it is, sometimes that is the best you can do with the circumstances or the hand you are dealt. I still love what I do.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Yellow-rumped Warbler photos plus facts and information about this species.
We had a bad winter for Butter-butts. Usually they are almost a distraction but not so this time. They were not only late arriving in autumn (which is usual) but the few we had around disappeared ASAP when spring arrived.
Sadly I have lost your images today. Not only for this post, but for them all.
I will try again later, and hope they have returned.
Thank you.
The images are back – and I love that butt. Lovely soft colours too.
Everyone sees these! I have only seen Yellow-rumped Warblers a few times in the wild. I am either blind or in the wrong location. Thank you for sharing a photo of this very allusive bird.
Good shot of the rump. Haven’t seen one yet, but I know they are around.
Beautiful, not seeing many in my hometown of Penn Hills, Metropolitan Pittsburgh PA. Robins have taken over in my yard, they are so dirty and I haven’t seen my little chicadees, Had to cut down our cherry tree, so they are living elsewhere, sad. Patricia