How many photos of Yellow Warblers on the ground do we see? In my experience very, very few. Instead they nearly always seem to be in trees or shrubs.
Yesterday I spent most of the morning with Yellow Warblers in the Wasatch Mountains. They were slightly more cooperative than usual, possibly because they were still feeding chicks or fledglings so they were quite adventuresome and relatively bold with me so close as they searched for enough small insects to feed their presumed youngsters.
All four of these birds may have been the same male warbler but of that I can’t be certain.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
They weren’t singing as much or as often as they were a couple of weeks ago and this is one of the few singing birds I photographed. It’s a cluttered setting but it’s natural and typical of the species and I enjoy photos of them in singing poses.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Instead of always gleaning small insects from leaves and being mostly buried in the trees they spent much more time hunting insects on or near the ground (which is why they were a little easier to photograph). This apparently cut tree stem was only a few inches off the ground and the male hunted from there several times. It gave him an elevated but still close look at the ground directly beneath him.
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
From there and other low perches he would hop down to pursue and/or look for prey. I never did catch him with an insect in his bill but that was obviously what he was doing. This is the first time I remember photographing a Yellow Warbler on the ground.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
This was the only time I saw him (or any of the other warblers) ‘relaxing’ for a few moments. He actually took the time to rouse on this perch (he had his eyes closed and his head was turned away so I didn’t include any of those shots) but here he’s still fluffed up after the rouse.
- Edit: See correction below.
It felt good to be in the mountains again, especially after that scorcher two mornings ago on Antelope Island. It wasn’t cool in the mountains either but it wasn’t nearly as hot as it’s been in the lower elevations. All this heat is a huge part of the reason that new wildfires have been springing up in Utah every day recently and spreading out of control, sometimes several of them each day. In the last couple of days one of my favorite shooting areas in the Stansbury Mountains has been threatened by a growing lightning-caused fire just to the north.
We’re still in the early stages of what will surely be a tinderbox summer.
Ron
Note: In a comment below Susan Stone requested that I post the rousing shot because rousing Yellow Warblers “isn’t something I generally see”. So as soon as I returned home from shooting this morning and looked for that image I realized that I’d remembered it incorrectly in my original post. The bird actually roused some time later while it was on a different perch. I’ve now included that rousing shot for Susan below.
Wonderful captures of the cute bird.
Thank you, Jean.
Thank you so much for this little patch of slightly bedraggled sunshine. And a thank you to Susan for persuading you to give us the rousing shot.
I hope the fires can be contained. They are a worry here each and every year and we are (in winter, usually our wettest time) in drought so I am already anxious about the summer. Yet another reason to loathe the sweaty season.
Yup, it’s a scary season no matter which hemisphere you live in, EC. Thank you.
Dad’s looking a little bedraggled from keeping up with the job of feeding those ever-hungry and ever-growing youngsters! Thanks for including the rousing shot (and thank you, Susan, for asking!). Rousing IRT is so fast, I often miss it, so it’s nice to see it frozen in time so I can look and analyze.
We’ve come down from the triple digits, but the humidity is still pretty high and we’re not getting much cooling at night. Nothing like the “Godzilla’s Armpit” of central Illinois summers that I experienced in grad school, but not fun without working A/C in the wagon and only a window unit in the living room. I’m not looking forward to August and September. My new school is about 10 miles further inland from me and 5-10 degrees warmer depending on the day. It was built in the ’30s and while beautiful in its Art Deco-ness, lacks both A/C and the electrical capacity for lots of fans.
I agree, Marty. I thought he looked a little bedraggled all the time I was processing the photos.
Your “new school” sounds very, very similar to the beloved first school I taught at. I taught there from 1970 until it closed controversially in 1988 (lots of sleazy politics involved in that closure). South High was built in 1931 and it was art deco also – absolutely beautiful inside especially in certain areas. When South High closed I moved to Highland High, a very different school with very different “clientele”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_High_School_(Salt_Lake_City)
I hope you like your new school.
Beautiful school! My first job in the district was at another “Art Deco” school. We have several schools with WPA murals — including my first school and my new one.
I totally get the politics thing — our district is doing HVAC installation and is (of course!) starting with the school sites closest to the ocean. Coincidentally, these school sites are also in the wealthiest neighborhoods in the district. I could go on and on (and on) about the weird stuff our district does, but I don’t want to hijack your post any more than I already have. 😉
It is interesting to see a Yellow Warbler on the ground. I haven’t seen many of them, but they’ve always been in shrubs or small trees. I’m glad they were more cooperative for you. Since rousing isn’t something I generally see, I would like it if you would post the photo of the Yellow Warbler rousing. I understand why it doesn’t meet your criteria for posting, but it would be good to be able to see that behavior.
Susan, I’ve added that rousing shot above, along with a correction of my original text about the rousing. Guess I’m losing my memory…
Thanks, Ron!
Beautiful shots! I especially like the one on the little stem perch! Glad you are up and about and photographing again.
Thanks, Joanne. Me too.
Little butter birds…flying, flitting, sunshine…
Yup…
Really nice bright photos. I usually see them way back in the shade of trees. Funny that you shot one on the ground. I was out in my yard yesterday and for the first time saw an Anna’s Hummingbird foraging on the ground. I remember those hot Utah summers; much prefer the mid seventies we’re having here (not to gloat).
Interesting, Lyle. I don’t remember ever seeing a hummingbird of any species on the ground.
Now that I think about it………. 😉 I haven’t seen them on the ground either. Closest to that is window sills collecting spiders/spider silk. Beautiful shot of beautiful little birds, Ron. We have many this year, but more across the creek in the willow brush rather than in the yard. I’m with you on the heat humidity or not which, as you noted, tends to be low in this area….:) Glad you got a bit of relief in the mountains. With our wind and off/on heat fire season may be nasty. 🙁
Thanks, Judy. I remember pretty hot days on the MT farm too but it always cooled off nicely at night. It very seldom does here in Utah.
MOST of the time it cools off – cooling off being relative……..;)
Very nice photos Ron. I often seen Yellow-rumped Warblers on the ground, but never Yellow Warblers. Beautiful little birds in any setting. Hope the back is not stressing you too much.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Oh, PS – I am seeing more Yellow Warblers here this early summer than ever before
Good point, Everett. I’ve seen butter-butts on the ground too but I believe this was my first time with a Yellow Warbler. Thank you.
What fantastic shots! I can’t choose a favorite because they are all unique. I’ve never seen a warbler on the ground…they are always flitting about nearly hidden in trees or shrubs making me frustrated trying for a clear shot. Excellent scenes for the little fella; he dominates the photo, everything compliments him and makes him the star. Congrats with these great photos! 🙂 It is way way too hot here in NE Wisconsin also; I shudder to think of August…I’m just not a heat and humidity gal.
Kathy, at least we don’t usually have your humidity but it’s still too damned hot for me. This northern Montana boy just never got used to Utah’s summer heat but our winters are sure easier to endure.
I’m glad to know I’m not the Lone Ranger in thinking Yellow Warblers on the ground are at least a little unusual. Thanks.