Orange-crowned Warbler with its orange crown visible – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The last time I shared a photo here on my blog of an Orange-crowned Warbler I mentioned that its appearance was rather messy looking. I guess my luck with messiness and this species is continuing because this one is even messier looking but what makes this photo special to me is something that I’ve not seen and have never photographed before. I finally have a few images where I photographed the crown of an Orange-crowned Warbler showing! Bird photographers will understand my excitement because they know how challenging that is since the crowns of this species are so seldomly seen.
This Orange-crowned Warbler had apparently been bathing in a seep that is at the base of a willow thicket in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning when it popped up and caught my eye. I quickly focused on the bird, realized it was an Orange-crowned Warbler and got excited because through my viewfinder I could see its orange crown. I hurriedly fired off a few images before the warbler took off into the willow thicket and I was more than pleased that this photo had the warbler sharply in focus but that one out of focus branch crossing the entire frame from side to side really distracts me and I wish it hadn’t been there at all.
I could wish that the Orange-crowned Warbler didn’t look as messy as it does but I am just so glad to have taken even one image where the orange crown is visible that I would toot a horn if I owned one. Maybe it doesn’t take all that much to make me happy?
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my Orange-crowned Warbler photos plus facts and information about this species.
The only time I see the orange is when they have just taken a bath and it looks like that’s what this one has done.
Congrats from New Jersey. An Eye-Catcher photographer of birds in nature is a moment in time that flick of an eye can miss. Ready and steady a picture of patience but, never too perfect for if you see it again, you’ll try to make better.
LIFE IS GOOD
George Draney
Is it a juvie? Looks like it is going for the punk or alt scene. All kidding aside, congratulations!
Great shot — even with the wayward twig. Looks like he posed just so you could get the crown. 🙂
Congratulations! I think I saw some this morning in Heber along the Provo River. They looked like mustard colored warblers, I was not sure what is was, they was too deep in the willows. The abundance of birds was amazing yellow warblers, grosbeaks, orioles, waxwings, greentailed towhees, various LBJs but they were in the dark willows or in the heights of the cottonwood trees. I did not even attempt photos, I just watched and soaked up the cool green. And unfortunately a few more bug bites.
What an absolute beauty (even in a scruffy state). And a bird where a bird wants to be is always a win. I am pretty certain that it would have been the bird rather than the branch which would have been out of focus if I had been there.
You have vindicated me. I saw this same bird and it flashed orange on it’s crown and closed feathers quickly. No chance to focus binoculars and I could not be positive of what I spotted. Place south table mtn. Lakewood Co.
Lovely. Never saw one. A treat.
I had to go back to the photo to see the “out of focus branch crossing the entire frame”. All I saw was the Orange-crowned Warbler with its orange crown showing and thinking how lucky you were to catch that. Congrats on the great photo.