Still waiting for the eggs to hatch.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
With the exception of this male Yellow Warbler I didn’t have much luck with birds yesterday morning in the mountains. This is the male of the pair whose nest I posted a photo of 13 days ago. Here he’s looking in the general direction of his nest as if he’s about to take off and fly to it.
But instead he…
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
briefly looked the other way and then…
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
hopped up and twisted around on his perch before taking off in the opposite direction and away from me. Perhaps he was going hunting for another insect morsel to feed his still-incubating mate.
At this point the nest is so shrouded by willow leaves I couldn’t even see it from my position yesterday.
But later that morning I could see (sort of) this Yellow Warbler nest in a completely different area of the mountains. As you can see, the female warbler in this nest is also still incubating.
One day very soon I hope to hear the peeping of tiny, ravenous chicks in both nests.
Ron
Thank you. In our (too often self inflicted) despair at the world it is so comforting to know that other species keep on keeping on. Despite us. I hope you hear those frantically hungry twitters too.
EC, I thought I might hear them on this visit but nary a peep.
Lyle, thanks for the beautiful poetry this morning.
Ron, thanks for the wonderful refuge you have created with Feathered Photography.
You’re very welcome, Duane.
So lovely—especially that last image of pretty mama on her eggs, looking well-protected in her shady home. Lyle is right, your daily posts are a welcome refuge from the despair in this world. So thanks for making the effort that you do, even with the health and weather impedIments you may encounter along the way.
Much appreciated, Chris.
So precious! Love their sunny feathers.
Thanks, Kathleen.
Ron, just wanted to add – that was a great idea yesterday to ask everyone what their spark bird was. I read all of the interesting responses. Never thought of that, but from now on will be asking my birding friends that question.
Thanks goes to William Irwin for that great idea.
I had missed this week’s posts because of out-of-town company (will be catching up on all this weekend), but this from Everett made me go back to read through yesterday’s comments now — wonderful memories, interesting how some came to their spark bird early, others (like myself) much later in life. And like Everett, my spark was the Bald Eagle, watching a mated pair on a live webcam on Santa Cruz Island in 2010 raise two chicks (from egg to fledge) while recovering from knee replacement surgery. That led to volunteering with Ojai Raptor Center, falling in love with Red-tailed Hawks and other raptors, then discovering all the “little” birds in my own backyard, including a rare (for SoCal) Green-tailed Towhee! I can’t imagine a life without birds now ….
Yup, when we fall in love with birds it’s generally a progression.
Thanks to you and to Lyle this morning– for reminding me what is “right”
and beautiful……..
Thank you, Kris.
I was taking Yellow Warbler photos yesterday morning too. Not as good as yours though.
Interesting – the nest photo did now show up at least on my post.
Hmmm, I wonder why…
It is there now Ron
Good!
LUV Yellow Warblers! 🙂 Now I know what to look for in a nest for them… 😉
Judy, their nests can look surprisingly different from each other, in part depending on the nesting materials they use. One helpful theme is that their nests are usually in the forks of willow branches in the interior of the tree. Spotting them from a distance (I never get close) is very difficult
With so much to despair about on the planet it is a peaceful refuge you afford us.
The willows,
The warblers,
Waiting with hope and care,
for new life.
Doing their small part to save what is right
And so help save us all.
Thanks very much, Lyle. I like to think of Feathered Photography as a refuge too. I know it is for me.
Thanks for sharing. I know that nest shot is not optimal, but for these secretive and tiny little birds, it’s a wonderful peek into their lives. Hope to find and see one myself some day, and maybe even get a photo!
They’re hard to see, Michael. I wish you luck.