A Blackburnian Warbler.
A recent Cornell Lab of Ornithology newsletter said “A fleeting glimpse of a Warbler flitting among branches is enough to get any birder’s pulse racing. Their small size and constant motion can make them tricky to lay eyes on”. Exactly how I feel about warblers. Photographing them is challenging too, but rewarding.
A Nashville Warbler peeking around leaves.
My first study was a Nashville Warbler, distinguished by its fully closed eye ring and gray head. Initially, I could only photograph it partly, as it was hidden behind leaves. Then I learned to keep pace with its movement, focus right when it appeared in gaps between leaves, use the camera’s burst mode, and avoid full zoom so it stayed within the view zone. After many attempts, I photographed its chestnut crown and its snack of a worm.
An Orange-crowned Warbler.
The Orange-crowned Warbler, characterized by its broken eye ring, further shaped my photographing strategies. Its tail was hidden in my initial photographs, so it appeared to be small. When it perched close by, I noticed its tail is as long as the rest of its body.
A Chestnut-sided Warbler dappled in sunlight.
Even a short visit from warblers leaves me mesmerized by their beauty. A Chestnut-sided Warbler scanned our oak only briefly, so did the Magnolia and Yellow Warblers on first visit, but they left me elated.
A Magnolia Warbler.
Warblers share similar features but their differences are subtle, so identifying them requires analysis. One with black and white stripes ambled briefly on our oak branches; it looked like a Yellow-rumped Warbler that we saw during the ice storm and in the spring. However, a screenshot taken from video identified it as a Black-and-white Warbler.
A Black-and-white Warbler.
Warblers sometimes surprise me. A Yellow Warbler appeared when I was photographing a Yellow-crowned Night Heron. I wanted to capture a juvenile Tufted Titmouse, but it flew away before I got my camera. Another started whistling and when I was done recording it, I saw something yellow move and started photographing. Its yellow cheek reminded me of the Golden-cheeked Warbler we saw in Garner State Park. Instead, this was a male Blackburnian Warbler with a flame-orange throat.
A Yellow Warbler.
Warblers are usually found on trees, so when I spotted an Ovenbird, a ground warbler, I thought it was a Thrush. It stayed still even when I was nearby, making me wonder if it was hurt. I was relieved when it flew off.
An Ovenbird spotted on the ground.
Sometimes identifying warblers feels like solving a jigsaw puzzle. I photographed one with a yellow cheek and thought it was a Golden-cheeked Warbler. But another photo showed its neck was black and its back olive green, revealing it to be a Black-throated Green Warbler.
Photos to solve the Black-throated Green Warbler puzzle.
I wonder sometimes if I should just enjoy warblers using binoculars. But photos help both to re-live experiencing them and with identification, as it is hard to recall details from brief sights. Thanks to a Mother’s Day weekend treat of photographing a Canada Warbler in Freeman Park, I realized its black-striped necklace distinguishes it from the Magnolia Warbler.
A Canada Warbler in Freeman Park.
I enjoyed sharing warbler stories with new and experienced birders. BirdID, All About Birds, and discussion with birders helped with their identification, as well as deciding which pictures to showcase here. I hope to observe more warblers in the future, including a Colima Warbler in Big Bend National Park.
Written by Jaya Ramanathan. Reviewed by Sarita Yeola.
All photos courtesy of Jaya Ramanathan.
