An Immature Yellow Warbler And Thistles

Immature Yellow Warbler perched on a thistle – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Last week I had a blast photographing several Yellow Warblers, young and adults, foraging for aphids in a patch of thistles high up in the Wasatch Mountains. I took so many photos that it was difficult to decide whether to share a large smattering of photos of the different warblers or just a few of some of the individual warblers in several posts over time. I decided on the latter.

The first of those images that I wanted to share is this immature Yellow Warbler that was perched and actively foraging for aphids on the thistles. Of the photos that I took that day these warbler images have the cleanest backgrounds and I liked them because of that.  The warbler and thistles stand out well.

Immature Yellow Warbler and thistles – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

The immature Yellow Warbler gave me several different poses over the period of time that it was perched on the thistle stem and I had wonderful eye contact with it in most of the images that I took.

Immature Yellow Warbler foraging on thistles – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

The warbler looked around and as it did it changed the position of its body often. I laughed when I saw this photo because I don’t often get a bird “butt shot” where I can still see the eyes of the bird but in this frame I have a nice head angle, catch light and a view of the young warbler’s bum.

Immature Yellow Warbler fluttering its wings – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

During the time that I had this immature Yellow Warbler in my viewfinder it fluttered its wings a couple times and I was able to catch it fluttering its wings in a few frames.

Immature Yellow Warbler lifting off from a thistle – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Immediately after I took this frame the Yellow Warbler lifted off from the thistle stem and flew to another one. I missed the actual lift off photo because I jerked my camera a bit to reframe. Live and learn!

I was thinking this morning that we are now at the end of July and these warblers and some of the other birds that I photograph in the mountains will be very busy getting ready their long migrations. I hope to spend as much time as I can with them before they head south.

Life is good. Stay safe.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Yellow Warbler photos plus facts and information about this species.