Messy looking Orange-crowned Warbler – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I’ve been looking for Orange-crowned Warblers in the Wasatch Mountains to get better images of them this year and so far my best chance has been with this messy looking one I saw and photographed yesterday. When I first saw it the warbler was obscured by willow leaves and branches and I thought it was a juvenile Yellow Warbler at first but then it showed more of its face and I realized that it was an Orange-crowned Warbler.
Of the 48 images I took of this fast moving warbler I only had eye contact with catch lights in 5 of the images and in three of those there was a bright willow leaf in front of the warbler’s body that I found extremely distracting which left this image and one almost exactly like it that were acceptable to my tastes even though the background is rather cluttered looking. The “clutter” though is natural habitat and since there is nothing in front of the bird it still stands out well. Now I know that some professional bird photographers would blur the background even more in post processing but that seems disingenuous to me so I don’t and won’t do that.
About the Orange-crowned Warbler’s messy appearance… there was water nearby and I suppose the warbler could have bathed before I took this image which could account for the unkempt feathers or it could be a frazzled looking because it is busy feeding chicks and has little time for taking care of its plumage. I just can’t say for certain but I have photographed and shared photos of messier looking birds in the past so sharing this one doesn’t seem so strange; after all, birds and their feathers do get messy.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my Orange-crowned Warbler photos plus facts and information about this species.
Every shot can’t be perfect and I commend you for not trying to make everything perfect in post. Too many photographers are getting dependent on editing and end up with something that looks fake.
I’ll get off my Soapbox now.
Messy = living. 🙂 Messy or not, he’s quite the debonair little chap.
It probably is a young one – fledglings always look messy.
I shouldn’t talk…I think of myself as the femsle version of Peter Falk…I think the moths may have gotten to that little felliw…
On my best days I look messier than this little charmer.
You are so good at finding these beautiful small birds!
Nice find!
Love the photo just the way it is! Thank you.