Yup, another Yellow Warbler. But yesterday morning I caught one doing something kind of interesting.
1/5000, 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
Though I don’t remember seeing it actually eating, based on its shiny bill it was probably eating serviceberries rather than insects. The diet of this species is primarily insects but they will take advantage of available fruit and I’ve photographed them doing it.
1/5000, 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 i
When it stretched its neck to look forward I figured it might be about to go to a new perch so I fired off a quick burst to see if I’d get lucky with an interesting photo or two. When this shot was taken it was choosing (or had just chosen) its intended landing spot to the right.
1/5000, 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
In the same photo as the previous one I’ve marked the chosen spot with a red arrow. It wasn’t going far but it had to somehow get over that clump of leaves directly in front of the bird. I figured it would use its wings but it didn’t.
1/5000, 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
As far as I could tell from my photos the bird simply jumped. Here one foot is reaching out in anticipation of landing but the other one is tucked up into the feathers so the foot will clear the leaves.
The last photo in the series (below) is a mess because the bird is very soft. But I had to include it to finish telling the story.
1/4000, 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
The warbler nailed the landing of the jump with only brief help from a single wing, probably to finish rotating its body in order to land at a right angle on the perch.
I know why the warbler is soft. The new perch isn’t on the same plane as the old one (it’s closer to us) and my focus point was still locked onto the leaves at left. I added extra sharpening to the image to try to help with the sharpness of the bird but as usual when something is this soft in the first place it helped very little.
Yes, this series was taken at the same old serviceberry bush where I’ve been photographing various species for weeks. I was quite wary about stopping there because of the dead and very stinky porcupine along the side of the road that I reported on previously. But by yesterday morning enough time had passed that decomposition had slowed down to the point that I only got a few brief whiffs of that ghastly, sickening smell.
This time the smell was so slight I didn’t think twice about eating my chocolate donut (I really do only eat them on mornings I go shooting). I actually had it in my hand and there were probably crumbs on my face when a couple of good friends and blog followers drove up. They’d seen my earlier blog post about the rancid porkie and they noticed and mentioned both the porcupine next to my right front tire and the donut I was eating.
If I’m not careful I’ll have the same reputation for donuts as cops, deserved or not in both cases.
Ron
3 things:
Looks like the Yellow Warbler could give the House Finch a lesson on the etiquette of dining on berries
That rear foot in the fourth photo looks really long. Is that normal?
There’s those pesky fungal things, again. Looks like the Warbler barely escaped getting devoured by them.
Lyle:
1. Probably…
2. I think it’s normal.
3. On this same morning I saw another large serviceberry bush that was nearly dead from that rust (fungus). Virtually every leaf was yellow from it.
A beautiful series…
Thank you, Patty.
Love this athletic little charmer.
Donuts? Not for me. I can face a donut no more than once or twice a year, and my choice is always cinnamon.
I’ll eat a cinnamon roll now and then but never a cinnamon donut. Too each his (or her) own, EC…
What a delightful little bird and a good story to go with it. You can almost see the smile on its face as it thinks about the jump to the branch.
As for chocolate donuts, there must be something about them that inspire your storytelling and great photos.
Thank you, Ron
Thanks, Alice.
There’s “something about them” all right. I always thought it was my addiction to chocolate. 🙂
Ha about the donuts! I suspect the warbler jumped because it was less energy.
Probably so, Arwen.
I love this series. In the first shot it looks like the bird is explaining what he is about to do. This guy definitely has personality. Thank you for giving me a much needed smile this morning.
“In the first shot it looks like the bird is explaining what he is about to do”
You’re right, Susan – it sure does. Thank you.
That really is a lovely bird. I think the ‘softness’ of the last photo really shows off the colors well especially the variance in the wings and tail. He never doubted his ability to stick the landing…pure confidence in those eyes. ☺️ Love the colors in all of these…quite easy on the eyes! 😍 I am surprised that so many of those berries are still so soft looking yet.
Kathy, serviceberries in the area are highly variable. Some of the berries are almost completely gone from their bush, some bushes apparently never had any this year and others are still loaded with ripe fruit. The latter ones of course are where most of the birds are.
Cute! 🙂 The “jump” is great even if the landing is “soft” – photo wise anyway! 🙂 Glad the porky had pretty well lost it’s stench allowing you to use the spot – good driving not to hit it and, possibly, get a flat tire – those quills can do it! What the heck – enjoy the donuts – photo’s are of the birds, not you! 😉
Judy, I’m pretty sure I ran over it once on my first morning there after the porkie was killed. I was trying to maneuver my pickup into exactly the right spot for the best angle and light on the bush and of course I couldn’t see the rodent since it war right beneath my pickup. No flat tire though.
Fun photos Ron of the jumping warbler. You have a number of birds there that really love those berries. Now about the donuts – do you consume a half dozen donuts while you are out or just one? 🙂 🙂
Everett Sanborn
Prescott AZ
Never more than one, Everett. I have my limits, even when it comes to chocolate…
Ron, I’ve had a smile on my face thru the whole blog today!! Love the whole series of this special little Warbler!! It’s funny to read your impression of this little guy’s behavior. I love to watch the birds at the feeder outside my bedroom window. A behavior I’ve watched is that the birds like my Blue Jays & Grackles choose to hop from one spot to the next, while all of my Doves (I get 4 kinds) scamper like a fast walk!! Bird behaviors are so fun to watch. As for the chocolate donut – I’ve never met you in person but from your photos I’ve seen – forget about it & enjoy your donut!!
I agree about behaviors, Jo Ann. They’re fascinating to see and photograph. Thank you.
This would definitely qualify the warbler for the Olympics in high jump or high hurdles. Very impressive! Glad you’re able to enjoy your donut once again (hey, at least Porkie isn’t asking for a bite or for a swig of your milk, so there’s that). 😉
I thought of its resemblance to a hurdler too, Marty – goes back to my 6 years on high school and college track teams (though my event was the javelin).
Yeah, I think that porky has taken its last bite…
I threw shot and disc in HS — not good enough to make the team at UCLA post Olympics, but was sometimes asked to be a javelin catcher. 😜
Javelin catchers are hard to come by.
While I was going to Palomar Jr. College I once competed in the LA Coliseum (1967). This Montana farm boy was quite impressed by that place.
This urban girl is still impressed by it — Rose Bowl too — no matter how many times I’m there.
In the second-to-last image, I was tickled to see a droplet of berry juice ? saliva ? on the tip of the warbler’s beak– he must have been really enjoying his feast almost as much as you
enjoy your chocolate donut ( next to a porcupine carcass ?)—BOY, that must be a GREAT donut—is it one of those giant Dunford chocolate donuts produced in Salt Lake ?
Kris, I think it’s most likely to be berry juice.
No, my donuts are actually kind of small. And even though Dunford donuts have a great reputation around here I think these taste better.