NATURE CLICKS #583 - COMMON YELLOWTHROAT

Male Common Yellowthroat, Whitewater Canyon Wildlife Area, Dubuque County, Iowa

Yes, I made a picture of a Common Yellowthroat exactly a week ago but felt I still had some unfinished business. I wanted to get closer to this small but magnificent warbler and  really wanted a shot without any men-made items, like the wire cage around a young tree, in the frame. Well, I went back today to the Whitewater Canyon Wildlife Area to try my luck again.

The light situation was very similar than a week ago, with a slight overcast, perfect for photographing grassland birds. The difference was, it was much, much warmer than last week and the sweat poured out of every pore in the body. There were quite a few Yellowthroats making their calls in the prairie grass. The male’s wichety-wichety-wichety song, which they sing frequently during summer, is easy to recognize. It just takes some patience to get them out of their cover and in front of the lens. The Common Yellowthroats spend their winter in some of the southern states and in the tropics.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

FOLLOW UP

Yellow Warbler hunting for insects

I can’t resist to post another photo of my recent shooting of warblers in Bankston County Park. This Yellow Warbler didn’t care that I was nearby and concentrated on its real interest, to catch an insect above the water surface of the small river below this branch.

Today I was back in the valley again and finding a warbler that sits still for more than half a second was next to impossible. Mating season for this species is in full swing, and you know how that goes…

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head.   @ 850 mm, 1/1250 s, f/9, ISO 2500, image cropped

NATURE CLICKS #578 - AMERICAN REDSTART

As promised in yesterday’s blog post I show you another warbler that performed as crazy as the Yellow Warblers. Acting like a flycatcher, snatching insects mid air from, and being perched on the branches that overhang the river in Bankston County Park, the American Redstarts are just a delight to watch. As the Yellow Warblers, the redstarts nest here and raise their offspring. They spend the winter in southern Florida, southern California, and in Central America.

It sounds all technical but I have been really thrilled last weekend watching these two warbler species catching insects at the Middle Fork Little Maquoketa River in Bankston County Park, a place I can highly recommend to any wildlife photography friend in the Dubuque, Iowa area.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, @ 850 mm

NATURE CLICKS #577 - YELLOW WARBLER

It is one thing to shoot in a more controlled environment, like in the front yard of the house, and as I have done mostly last week. When the birds come to you it is not so difficult to adapt quickly and change your camera and speed light settings if necessary. With other words, it is somehow predictable. It is much more challenging to be out in nature and away from the home turf, as experienced yesterday again.

Since I have seen only one species of warblers in our woods last week I thought it is time to try something different. The valley in Bankston County Park is carved out by the clear water of the Middle Fork Little Maquoketa River. It is a great nature place here in eastern Iowa and it was a successful trip yesterday afternoon. I found a number of Yellow Warblers and another species (more about that in another blog post). They will most likely nest in the valley and raise their offspring. Right now it is all about eating and probably finding the right mate. The warblers perch often in the branches right above the water of the fast flowing creek and try to catch insects in flight, like flycatchers do it. Very soon all leaves will be out and pictures like I show you today are not possible anymore.

Many flycatcher species have one big advantage, they return quite often to the same perch after catching prey, making it easy for the photographer to get a shot. Not so the warblers, they land on a different branch, even in a different tree, most of the time. Following them with the camera was a challenge to say it mildly.

While at home I like to shoot with the speed light for better color rendering but this was not an option here. With the flash I shoot mostly in ”sniper mode”, a single shot each time the shutter release button is pressed. With the fast moving birds I worked without flash and used high speed frame advance rate with 10 frames per second.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, @850 mm

PINPOINT LOCATION BY CALL

Common Yellowthroat, Mines of Spain, Iowa

Not a whole lot of time to go out and shoot birds or critters this week but who will blame me, if I post another picture from a trip the week before. I learned again how great of a benefit it can be, if we can identify a bird by its call. I know quite a few but with warblers there has been always an uncertainty. The Common Yellowthroat is often heard way before we can see them in the brushy prairie. That helps to pinpoint the location and have the tripod with camera in place when the bird suddenly comes out of its hiding place.

NATURE CLICKS #505 - PROTHONOTARY WARBLER

Protonotary Warbler, Mines of Spain, iowa

A dream came true having finally, after many years of trying, a pair of Prothonotary Warblers in front of the lens last week. They were feeding their offspring at an old woodpecker hole in a dead tree log. I owe a big thank you to a photography friend, who discovered the location and gave me a call. Although the nest site is not far from a relative busy location in the Mines of Spain, it is not easy to access. My approach was very slow and careful and I was able to hide behind a layer of dense underbrush. The last thing a photographer should do is to disturb the birds. No photo is worth to risk the well-being of an animal. The warblers seemed to ignore my presence and never hesitated to approach the nest or fly away from it.

Both parents were feeding the young ones in the nest. They showed up in average intervals of about 6-7 minutes. I made a clear decision to shoot without the help of some fill flash, although the tree was in the shade. With the sun almost overhead, there was still enough light to make the warblers stand out against the tree. This required some slow shutter speeds, mostly between 1/80s and 1/125s at the widest aperture f6.3 of the SIGMA lens.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

“ZORRO” STRIKES AGAIN

Common Yellowthroat ♂️, Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, Dubuque, Iowa

We call him “Zorro” and it is obvious why. The Common Yellowthroat is one of the most numerous warblers that spend the breeding season in North America. I found this male singing its heart out already a week ago but didn’t have the right equipment with me at that time. I came back yesterday with tripod, gimbal head, and long lens mounted to the camera and the bird was still in the same area and was calling again. A few small dead trees in a large patch of flower prairie made for good perches but it wasn’t always easy to separate the bird from some of the branch clutter. The Yellowthroat is a great bird for people that just start with wildlife photography. Its black “Zorro” mask delivers a good contrast edge near the eye and the autofocus system of any camera should have no problem to lock the focus if the sensor hits this line.

Finding this warbler species is not so difficult. They prefer open habitats, like brushy prairie and can be found often near wetlands and marshes. First listen for the witchety-witchety-witchety song of the males. If you can locate one, look low in bushes or trees for this olive and yellow fast little bird. The black mask makes the identification of a male easy. The females look similar but do not have the black mask. I spent about an hour and a half with “Zorro” before I shouldered the tripod again and moved on.

Both photos: Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head

NATURE CLICKS #502 - COMMON YELLOWTHROAT

Common Yellowthroat, Mississippi Valley, Mines of Spain, Iowa

After being on a business trip last week it feels good spending some time behind the camera on this Memorial Day weekend. I didn’t have to search long for the first opportunity. The Mines of Spain, a recreation area south of Dubuque in the Mississippi Valley, with forest, patches of prairie, and ponds is usually a good place for bird watching. Right after I started my little hike I came across this Common Yellowthroat, a warbler that breeds here in Iowa. The males are easy to identify with their black mask and the bright yellow throat.

RETROSPECTS 2020 - #5

American Redstart, Bankston County Park, Iowa

We are in the month of May for my ‘Retrospects 2020’ here in the blog, the place where I pull up some memorable moments that enlightened the year photographically. As every year all the neotropical birds arrive from their journey by the end of April or during the first days in May. There is no lack of interesting colorful species.

This year I spent more time in Bankston County Park, a small river valley with a rocky bottom and a pond, and only twenty minutes away from home. Two of my five ‘first sightings’ of birds in 2020 happened in this little nature paradise and I have already plans for more exploration in this area for next year.

Probably the most common warbler we can find there is the American Redstart. The best chances to make a good click is at their time of courtship. During the rest of the summer they stay higher up in the trees and it is more difficult to aim the glass at them.

BACK TO BANKSTON

Great Blue Heron, Bankston County Park, iowa

Two rainy and gray days in a row but too many things happen out in nature right now and staying home all weekend long was not an option. Joan, dog Cooper, and I went back to Bankston County Park today. Oh, what a great sound from birds all around! Getting them in front of the lens, well, not necessarily a guarantee.

The ‘Middle Fork Little Maquoketa River’ (boy, what a long name!) was relatively clear despite the rain, and is stocked with trout. The Great Blue Heron was flushed by a trout fisherman downstream, flew right up to us, and posed nicely while we hiked down along the river banks.

American Redstart

The American Redstart is a warbler that can be found and will breed in Bankston Park. By the number of birds you can hear high up in the trees you may think it is easy to make a good bird portrait of this warbler, but they are fast and never stay in one spot much longer than a second or two. Insects were present after the rain and the redstarts came down to the river to make a catch. The short opportunities to make the click…

WARBLER DAYS

The herons were not the only birds we saw yesterday evening in the valley of Bankston County Park. Several warblers were foraging along the river but it was already late and my shooting results were not that great. With other words, I went back today and tried my luck again. The sun was out this evening and I took the tripod and gimbal head with me. Yes, that slows you down a little bit but I knew my best opportunities would be near the water and due to the thick brush along the river, light was not available in abundance.

Black-throated Green Warbler

This was a first sighting for me! This male is on its way to Canada or northern Minnesota.

Wilson’s Warbler

My first sighting in Iowa. We have seen the Wilson’s Warbler in Colorado a few years ago. Their breeding range is from Alaska eastwards to Newfoundland. It spends the winters along the Gulf Coast and south into Mexico. The black cap makes it easy to identify this beautiful bird.

Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler

The first yellow-rumped showed up already a month ago and we see them more often than other warblers even in our woods here.

Yellow Warbler

Iowa is breeding territory and it is a warbler you may find even during the summer in Bankston Park or other areas. It is more difficult to spot them when the leaves are fully developed. The best way to find one is listening to their songs and calls.

Northern Waterthrush

Another first sighting! It is possible to confuse the bird with a thrush but it is actually a warbler. Joan discovered this bird yesterday and that’s the best I came up with while handholding the camera. I was debating if I should show the photo with its lack of sharpness and heavily cropped, but for a first sighting, hey, an exception can be made, or not? 😏

NATURE CLICKS #451 - NORTHERN PARULA (FIRST SIGHTING)

There is always a great joy when the migrating birds arrive in spring but when there is a new species in the trees, that we have never seen here before, the excitement becomes even bigger.

Yesterday morning was such a moment. While standing on the porch with a cup of coffee and aiming the lens at Scarlet Tanagers and Grosbeaks I suddenly discovered a wood warbler. I knew immediately that I had not seen this one before. Making the photo has priority, even if it is only a “documentary shot”, the identification can follow later.

Here is an interesting fact I quote from the The Cornell Lab website ALL ABOUT BIRDS: Northern Parulas have an odd break in their breeding range. They breed from Florida north to the boreal forest of Canada, but skip parts of Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and some states in the Northeast. The reason for their absence may have to do with habitat loss and increasing air pollution, which affects the growth of moss on trees that they depend on for nesting.

They feed often high up in the canopy, maybe another reason why we don’t see them more often. It was a nice way to start the day and I look forward to have many more moments like this one.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S @600 mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO400, photo cropped

CLOSE TO THE GROUND

Yellow Warbler, Mines of Spain, Dubuque, iowa

In spite of the fact that we still have an abundance of migrating birds around our house at the moment (I promise, I will show more pictures soon!), I went to the Mines of Spain yesterday, the wooded state recreation area south of Dubuque, Iowa. I was hoping to see some neotropical warblers, vireos, and gnatcatchers coming up the Mississippi River Valley and was rewarded with several species that will breed in eastern Iowa during the summer. However, watching them doesn’t automatically mean to capture an image. Warblers are very fast moving birds most of the time, giving the photographer only fractions of a second to frame, focus, and making the click.

The Mines of Spain have two ponds, just separated from the Mississippi River by the railroad tracks. The bushes and shrubs that surround them are an excellent home range for birds that rely on insects. With other words, it is a prime habitat for warblers and other birds and a good place to stick the legs of the tripod into the mud.

It was interesting to see Yellow Warblers, American Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Yellow-rumped Warblers gleaning for insects very close to the ground. The reason might be the relative low temperatures we have. Mosquitos, gnats, or little flies do still not perform much. We humans may like this, but the birds may struggle for survival if this would last. The good news is, the forecast for next week promises warmer weather…

NATURE CLICKS #379 - PROTHONOTARY WARBLER

Prothonotary Warbler, Mississippi River, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa ------  

Another great day here in the Mississippi Valley today. Joan and I took again the kayaks out for a trip on the water. This time we paddled deep into the backwaters of the Green Island Wetlands. We had it all for ourselves and except for the occasional honking of a train far away it was all about listening to the sounds of nature. My excitement grew rapidly when Joan pointed out a small yellow bird on a log in the water. I have only seen and photographed a Prothonotary Warbler once before and that was several years ago.

As always, shooting with the long lens from a kayak, while the kayak is moving, is quite a challenge and the number of misses is of course much higher. The only reason I show the second image here in the blog is for identification. It shows the colors of back, wings, and tail better. The head and eye of the warbler are clearly out of focus and usually a picture like this has only one valid place, the digital trash can. Well, sometimes we need an exception from the rule…😉

NATURE CLICKS #376 - YELLOW WARBLER

The photos of the Trumpeter Swans in my post from yesterday were a bonus. We were actually out to find some warblers after several days with rain and very little sun. But here was the challenge, Joan recovers from a foot surgery and so hiking or walking was out of question. The search for the little neotropical birds had to be done by car only.

We saw some waterfowl that we didn’t expect to see but it wasn’t until we were on the way out of the Green Island Wetlands when we spotted this Yellow Warbler. It has a wider range than any other North American Warbler and there is a good chance that this bird will stay in the wetlands during the summer.