Tracking Warbler-ish Activity with the Camera

I can now quickly recognize warbler-like activity; the in and out pecking and skittering movement of something tiny and yellowish, ever so slightly dipping the branches of trees, ferns and bushes. I have to admit that I can recognize and name only a few warblers on sight. To my eye, the differences between most warbler species are subtle, especially when they are not in full Spring plumage.

I enjoy the luxury of experts, time, and my trusty camera and long telephoto lens. Warblers come and go so fast during migration, that I’ve come to rely on my camera to capture and preserve the “warblish” details that the experts find so revealing and I find so elusive.

Photographing the Bay Breasted Warbler

I was able to ID this female (or juvenile) Bay Breasted Warbler only after uploading a photo and consulting with the birding experts at WhatBird.com. The male Bay Breasted is unmistakable in the Spring with his black mask, dark gray streaking, and bright chestnut chin, head, breast and flanks. The males lose much of that colorful distinction and blend in appearance with other warblers sporting two white bars on the wings. The birders say that the black legs set Bay Breasted Warblers apart from the Blackpoll Warbler.

Playing with Exposure

As you can see by the ISO readings on the photos above, I continue to photograph migrating warblers in my heavily shaded yard when the rains and hunger drive them down to the trees.  Lately, I’ve been lucky because the birds have been perching on the serviceberries, low lying ferns, grasses and other less dense foliage outside my window. Even though the light is still dim on this greenery, the ISO gets a boost because those areas are more evenly lit.

Limit the Cap on Auto-ISO

I shoot in RAW almost exclusively, with the camera set to “M”, the manual setting. I set the shutter as low as I dare and open the aperture to get as much light as possible. The ISO is almost always set to “Auto”, and the ISO auto range is capped at 6400. (NOTE:  If the ISO is capped at 6400, and the light is still inadequate for proper exposure with the manually set aperture and shutter speed, the shutter will still fire, and deliver an underexposed image.) Despite the very good full-size sensor in the Canon 5D Mark III, the noise is objectionably high on ISO settings above 6400, no matter how close I am to my subject. On dreary days, I miss a lot of shots with this ISO cap. Sadly, exposure choices are limited with low (natural) light photography.

Raw Format

RAW format takes more time, more patience and so much more hard drive space, but I find it worthwhile for bird photography. When the camera is set to RAW, images are not processed in the camera. Once you import them into the post processing software, you see exactly what the sensor captured.

It’s not hard to screw up exposure settings when a fabulous bird appears unexpectedly in front of the camera. Despite all my time in the field, excitement can still cause me to I forget to change some setting on the camera. With the camera set to RAW, little screw-ups like that rarely matter.

Histogram Magic

When I first import RAW images into Lightroom, they always look a little dark… a little dull. So, how do you know (technically) how much exposure to add in post processing?  Check the histogram.

For Evenly Lit Images

Sure, you can eyeball it…but eyeballing hundreds of images can make your exposure dial trigger finger a little goofy. The histogram gives you a mechanically superior exposure. It’s simply an information graph mapping dark to light. Ideally, and assuming you have an evenly lit scene, you will see a bell curve. The best way to adjust correct exposure in post processing is to add exposure until the bell curve on the histogram peaks at the center of the chart.

Creative Choices

Having a technically well exposed image is not necessarily the goal in post processing. Go with your heart…. you may find that the image is more pleasing overall when you intentionally under or over expose your images.

One of these days, I will take the time to experiment more in post processing.  I usually go with the natural look, but I do find appeal in skewing the light, the grain, the focus. It starts out by playing with the other color and filter presets that come with Lightroom.

To read more about RAW format, visit this link.

To read more about the Histogram, visit this link.

Low Light Bird Photography

Sometimes a bird photographer has no choice but to make the most of shooting in low light, rainy conditions. If you’re lucky, soft backlit raindrops can tickle the leaves just enough to make them shimmer and glow appealingly and cast dreamy light onto your subject. Sadly, this day had no such light.

Haze and moderately heavy rain dominated the scene when I noticed this Black and White Warbler perched in the Serviceberry tree right next to my library window. (So happy to have a roof over my head.)  My camera was set up and ready to go, just a little further back than usual to avoid the splash of the water cascading off the roof.

Photographing Bathing Warblers

The Serviceberry offered this little warbler some protection from the rain, but its small leaves were not as densely packed as some of the more protective evergreens and redbuds near the library. The heavily packed leaves would have blocked more light – taking the already soaring ISO levels unacceptably higher. NOTE: In these photos, the falling raindrops are barely visible because of the slower shutter speed and lack of backlighting.

By the looks of this Black and White Warbler, he found the perfect breezy perch on which to bathe his boldly striped black and white feathers. He seemed invigorated, even joyful, despite the lack of privacy in his outdoor shower. While splaying his wing feathers and allowing the warm rain to soak the skin, he often opened his mouth for a drink.

I often see birds preening, but not bathing. A good soaking no doubt washes away the dirt and other particles that can’t be cleaned with the bird’s beak. The transients that visit our yard appear to enjoy a short drenching rain over the bird bath. This little one looks like he is singing in the rain, though there were no vocalizations.

September’s Fall Bird Migration Traffic

Migration traffic in our yard has been slow (compared with last year). Looking back on my Fall, 2014 Flickr album, (Fall 2014 Flickr) a lot of the vireos, kinglets, thrushes and warblers arrived last year in late August. It’s still early though, and I’m hopeful that some newbies (birds I haven’t photographed before) will stop to rest and replenish in our yard. According to the migrating maps and charts put out by e-Bird, September is a big month. Almost every species of migrating birds are on the move–globally.

I haven’t seen this little Black and White Warbler since I photographed him. No doubt he’s on the wing again, continuing on his long and perilous journey south. Most of the avian transients are fair weather, nighttime flyers. My photos from last Fall confirm that when winds and rains come, the migrating birds descend, and I’m more likely to see and photograph some new visitors. I welcome the opportunity, and will photograph them in any usable light, despite high ISOs.

To read about the migrating birds who visited our yard last Fall, press this link and this link.

Searching for Blue Winged Warblers

Both the male and female Blue Winged Warblers are tiny, brightly colored balls of energy, tempered only by their quiet and bashful natures. Since the summer began, I have made a point to drive to a mostly deserted country road in the Allegan Forest next to a cluster of dense, brambly foliage at the forest edge. There, I watch and wait for a nesting pair of Blue Winged Warblers to appear. I know they’re in there because I have photographed many a blurry snapshot of their distinctive eyes as they stare at me from the thick brush. Those eye markings are hard to mistake. Looks like someone took a dark eyeliner and drew a heavy black line from the outside corner of one brown eye, past the pointy beak and through the other brown eye. Quite a striking attribute when drawn atop a bright yellow face.

How Long Should A Photographer Wait?

I pull off the road at the opening of a small 3′ x 3′ passage into the brush. There within, I can see a little secluded space, amply lit by the morning sun, where the warblers just might leave the comfort of their nesting area to perch on dead and peeling branches. (It would be so exciting if there are Blue Winged fledglings about.) My eyes are weary from raking the foliage, looking for the ever-so-slight warbler movement (like softly falling raindrops) on the interior branches. I wait….. how long should a photographer wait?  It’s 7:30 a.m. and I make a pact to leave by 8:00am- if I don’t see any action.

It’s past 8:00 am and I’m still waiting; still hoping. The light continues to softly illuminate the perch on which the lens in trained. I think I see second hand movement- reverburation from the forest floor. Blue Winged Warblers commonly build nests on or near the ground, but so do many other forest dwellers.  It’s impossible to know because I can not see through the low lying brush. My lens is resting on the storage bin that I keep in the passenger’s front seat. No need to worry about twisting and contouring my body to maneuver the lens..my only focusing option is to follow the light through this small and under-grown portal.

I see a flash of yellow. The male Blue Winged Warbler is bustling about, within partial view. Tentative and watchful, he knows I’m there and looks me over with those eye-lined eyes. Somehow, I pass inspection because he hops onto the peeling branch right in front of the lens and begins preening. He’s so tiny, and a good 20 feet away. I will have to do some cropping- but other than that I’ve got a perfect shot.

Healthy Feather Grooming

Birds groom themselves multiple times a day. Good feather maintenance is essential to survival. The preen gland (uropygial gland- located at the base of the tail feathers) supplies the secretions needed to keep their feathers in optimal flying condition. Birds rub their bills and heads with these secretions and then methodically slather this mixture all over their feathers and feet, picking out unwanted dust, dirt and parasites with their beaks. (No doubt somewhere in the parasitic mix, are beneficial organisms essential to healthy feather grooming.)

Before flying off, this Blue Winged Warbler takes a few minutes to show off his freshly groomed plumage. His feathers look like they were professionally washed, blow-dried and styled. And then he is gone.

Warbler Waiting

More times than not, I find myself waiting for birds long past the time I pre-set in my mind to move on, and coming back home with nothing. For warbler waiting, all it takes to keep me on task at one location is a slight foraging movement. It’s not an efficient use of my time, but my self imposed deadlines fly by and I enjoy the sights and sounds that come with a glorious day in the woods. This time, I have beautiful Blue Winged Warbler photos to show for my patience.

To read more about photographing preening birds, please visit this post.

Photographing Bright Yellow Warblers

Tiny brilliant yellow balls flash across my path….so bright and exquisitely delicate.

Photographing Yellow Warblers

Yellow Warblers are one of the most numerous and widespread warbler species, and very common in Michigan in the summer. Male and female Yellow Warblers have solid yellow faces, black eyes, and thin pointy beaks. The adult males have a brighter yellow head and pronounced chestnut streaking on their breasts and bellies. Like most wood warblers, they are difficult to photograph because they spend most of their time weaving in and out of dense foliage, eating caterpillars and other insects.

Camera Setup Options

I often spend time with my camera on my lap, just watching and waiting to see what birds are lurking in the shadows of dense foliage. It didn’t take long before I was able to discern two yellow bursts of light in a dense growth of shrubs near a stream. I parked my car on the road and proceeded to set up my camera, 500 mm lens and tripod approximately 15 feet from these woods. I chose a spot where there were some attractive, open perches. I could see the pair of Yellow Warblers foraging in the thickets, but when I tried for a shot, the lens searched back and forth -utterly confused with the tangle of overlapping branches and leaves.

The Trusty Car Door as My Tripod

Both the male and female Yellow Warblers are highly territorial and will perch out in the open to investigate any sign of other Yellow Warblers intruding into their space. To entice this pair to perch in a less congested area, I set up the blue tooth speaker under several isolated branches.

No luck. The warblers were watching, but stayed hidden in the brush. Clearly, I was too much of a presence for them to feel comfortable. Leaving the speaker in place, I disengaged the tripod from the camera, put everything back in the car and then moved the car to the same spot where I had set up the tripod. I sat in the car and rested my camera and lens on the car door window.

Like many birds in this modern age, the warblers were highly acclimated to the presence of vehicles. With multiple fly-bys and aggressive sounding chirping, they rushed in to investigate the source of the song. It took less than 2 minutes for them to figure out that there was no foreign invader and retreat back to the foliage, but it was long enough to capture 25+ photos.

Yellow Warbler Nesting Habits

NOTE: A tribute to the diligence of the tiny female Yellow Warbler (2nd photo above). She is not often fooled when her nest is parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds. She may abandon the nest- or she may start a new brood by building a new nest layer on top of the parasitized nest-(even if it means burying her own eggs). These diligent female Yellow Warblers will keep building if the problem persists to as high as 6 tiers.

To read a blog post about Yellow Warbler Identification, visit this link.

To read about the pros and cons of setting up shots in the wild, visit this blog post.

A Curious Female American Redstart

A female American Redstart Warbler nesting nearby often leaves the woodlands to forage in the trees around our library. Usually, she flits and flutters, constantly on the move, staying hidden behind the leaves as she hunts for insects. Once in a while she will momentarily light on a delicate bleeding heart plant, making for a beautiful photo if I am lucky enough to be behind the lens at that time. I enjoy watching her. Female Redstart Warblers are mostly a pale gray, with olive green wings and flashes of yellow and orange on her shoulders and tail feathers. The colors are especially beautiful when she fans her tail.

This particular Redstart appears to be very curious about the cameras, long lenses and me. Once in a while, she stops her foraging activity, perches close by, and just watches me.

An Unexpected Visit

My library windows are usually wide open, with two cameras on tripods (one with my 500mm lens and one with my 300mm lens) pointing out to different parts of our garden. Insects of all kinds fly in and out, mostly destined to die on some window sill in another room. I keep a rotating fan blowing toward the windows — hopefully to discourage insects from coming in.

Memorial Day was not a fair weather day, so only one window was open. As I often do, I had left the cameras for a few moments to attend to something in another room. During that short interval, a female American Redstart Warbler flew into the library, through the living room and then made a beeline to another set of windows in the master bedroom.

Of course I can’t be sure that the female Redstart who entered the house through the window near my camera setup is the very same curious Redstart that I see so often in front of my camera. But I’d bet on it.  In the bedroom, she was fluttering back and forth against the window panes. Once in a while, she would rest on the window sill, watch me, and then try again, searching for a way out to the trees she could see, but not get to.

I opened the bedroom window almost immediately – but it took her a little while to find her way out. I grabbed my camera and took a couple shots of her before she left. She graced me with a fan of her tail then flew out and up to a nearby tree. Once she was comfortable, she turned her head back to look at me, then flew off to the woodland. I saw her again later the same day, foraging in her usual places….obviously not too traumatized.

Birds and Windows

Window glass is invisible to birds and potentially lethal when they fly in and strike the glass. Birds only see the reflected greenery and skyline and attempt to fly toward it.

Sadly, we hear the sickening thumps of a bird crashing into our windows almost every week. They leave  a splat of dust and feces behind. Most crash victims rest a few minutes after they bounce off the window and then appear to recover. They are able to fly away, although who knows how many of those birds die later of their injuries.

It is estimated that hundreds of millions of birds are killed world wide by flying into glass windows. There are many solutions designed to decrease or block the window reflections if you wish to safeguard birds from crashing into your windows. Visit this link if you would like more information.

‘Tis the Season for Migration

The mounds of snow and ice are gone, preventing the squirrels from leaping onto the bird feeders (for the most part). Newly formed buds on the trees are small and do not obstruct my camera’s line of view. The windows are washed and cranked open as much as the temperatures will allow. I have hauled up my photographer’s blind from the basement and set it up on the porch overlooking the feeders.

I am waiting and hoping that some new and unusual spring migrating birds will pass through and grace me with an appearance -and (of course) perch in the unobstructed trees closest to our library windows or porch. I had tremendous luck in my own yard last fall, so my expectations are skyhigh that if I sit and wait by my library windows long enough, I will see and photograph some new birds. (See this post about last Fall’s activity.)

Cameras Ready

I watch over two cameras set up on tripods in our library; The 5D Mark III, attached to the 500 mm lens and the 7D Mark II, attached to the 300mm lens. The platform and suet feeders are full, bringing in lots of activity from the usual visitors (Cardinals, House Finches, Chickadees, Titmice, Mourning Doves, Juncos, various Woodpeckers, and  Nuthatches.)  I’m hoping that migrating warblers and other unusual transients will notice heavy bird activity and want to join in for a meal.

Migratory Birds Photographed So Far

So far this Spring, I’ve seen and photographed the following migratory birds: Red winged Blackbirds, Gold Finches, Cowbirds, House Finches, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Cedar Waxwings, Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, Ruby Crowned Kinglets, field and song sparrows, unusual sparrows like the Towhee and Vesper Sparrow, and even a Wilson’s Snipe.

By far the most exciting photography challenge this Spring was when a bright and bold male Pine Warbler came down to feast on suet. This warbler species is one of the few that visits feeders. Thinking that this would be my only chance, I photographed almost every single sighting, mostly him clinging to a suet feeder. After a hundred or so shots, I was more calculated, keeping the windows open and watching and waiting for him to land on a natural perch with a pleasing background.

Patience and perseverance most certainly brings success to photographers.

The Pine Warbler stayed little more than a day, and I have several hundred photographs. Still, I keep looking, hoping to see him again.