Young Yellow-rumped Warbler in a willow – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Earlier this week I spent a few moments focused on a scruffy young Yellow-rumped Warbler perched above a creek in the sky island mountains of the West Desert. Even though the setting was a bit messy I liked these photos because I don’t normally get to see Yellow-rumped Warblers this young or this scruffy.
The willow where I photographed this young Yellow-rumped Warbler was also where I photographed some Black-throated Gray Warblers on the same day.
Unlike most of the other birds I saw that morning this young warbler perched on the willow for several minutes. My only wish is that it had been a tiny bit closer to where I sat in my Jeep using it as a mobile blind.
Scruffy young Yellow-rumped Warbler – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I’ve been photographing quite a few young birds this month which is typical for this time of the year because most birds are finished with their breeding season. Now the hatch year birds are learning to be on their own and some are preparing for their first migration.
Yellow-rumped Warblers migrate a bit later than some of the other warblers that breed here and there are times I see them until mid October. This species can easily switch from their insect diet of the summer over to berries in the fall which means they can migrate later than the warblers that are strictly insectivores.
The time I had with this scruffy young Yellow-warbler was a lot of fun for me and I am glad it landed where it did.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Yellow-rumped Warbler photos plus facts and information about this species.
Both of you have me wondering about the feeling of new feather growth. Even if it is not painful precisely I suspect it itches. Which would certainly make me tetchy.
Very nice. Do you ever wonder if new feather growth is painful? I know our parrots are testy when molting.
April, I know my parakeets and even my Zebra Finches were slightly testy when they were molting.