![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/yellow-warbler-8604-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"yellow-warbler-8604-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nOne with feathers and the other with fur.<\/p>\n
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1\/1600, f\/5.6, 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<\/em><\/p>\n We’ve been hearing and seeing the occasional fleeting glimpse of newly fledged Yellow Warblers in a particular clump of willows in the mountains for a while now but yesterday I had my first chance for photos of one of them. I never got any great shots but seeing warbler chicks gives me hope for the future, at least symbolically, so today I decided to document the occasion.<\/p>\n It was smoky from wildfires and this little fella is partially shaded but it’s one of the better looks I had of ‘him’.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/800, f\/5.6, 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<\/em><\/p>\n I’d have liked this photo more if that out of focus curved branch hadn’t wrapped so closely around his body. But on closer inspection the photo provided an unexpected interest, at least for me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n It provided a good look at one of the still-growing wing coverts emerging from its sheath. Other coverts, whose feathers are in about the same stage of development, can be seen above and to the left of it but their sheaths are hidden by other feathers.<\/p>\n I found it interesting that at this age the much larger flight feathers are mature enough for flight (this very young bird could fly) but the coverts have barely emerged from their sheaths. I suppose that’s evidence of the survival value of flight, even for warblers of this tender age that are still being fed by their parents.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 100-400mm f\/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 400mm, not set up, baited or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Later that morning and further down the mountain valley I found this very young Least Chipmunk foraging for food amongst the wildflowers. At this age they look similar to adults except for size – this little guy wasn’t much more than half the size of an adult. There were two or three youngsters scurrying around together but this one gave me the best photo-op.<\/p>\n There’s a lot going on in this photo (another way of saying it’s busy) but I like the unusual composition and the flowing curve of the rodent’s tail mimicking the curve of the two flower stalks below it and the colorful open flowers above it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this time of insufferable heat and devastating drought in the west, seeing feathered and furred youngsters provides a glimmer of hope for the future. At this point I’m discouraged enough to hope that’s not being unrealistically optimistic.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One with feathers and the other with fur.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/yellow-warbler-8552-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"yellow-warbler-8552-ron-dudley\\"")
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<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/uinta-chipmunk-8444-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"uinta-chipmunk-8444-ron-dudley\\"")
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