Vireos are small, compact, somewhat stocky songbirds with hooked, blunt bills, and strong legs. The plumage of most species is drab. They are found in dense foliage of trees and feed on fruits, insects and larvae.
Last week, I was glad to have this Warbling Vireo in my viewfinder when I was high up in the Wasatch Mountains with my dear friend, April Olson.
On this last day of the year it is time for my annual 2022 Year in Review post. In some ways 2022 has been great for me and in others not so good.
One of the birds that I photographed in Morgan County two days ago was this lovely Warbling Vireo perched alongside of ripe chokecherries. I was excited to see it.
Last week I made two trips out to the West Desert and today I am sharing a medley of recent birds that I found while I was out there.
This Warbling Vireo wasn't the last vireo I saw before they migrated but it was the last one where I was able to take photos of this species out in the open this year.
When this Warbling Vireo popped into my view I knew if I wanted to photograph it I had to hurry because these small vireos move fast.
The surprise for me was that the Warbling Vireo decided to perch out in the open with a fairly clean background and that it stayed there for almost a minute.
As a bird photographer I'm feeling a sense of urgency now that I didn't feel a few weeks ago because as I watch the migrants in the Wasatch Mountains getting ready for their long journeys I know that my time for photographing them this year is quickly running out.
Yesterday I was delighted when I spotted a Warbling Vireo at the top of some nearby willows and that the vireo stayed long enough for me to take a few photos of it.
I had this gorgeous Warbling Vireo up close singing its tiny heart out and I couldn't photograph it so I sat and watched it sing and move around in the aspens.
I've shared photographs of Warbling Vireos here before but this is the first time that I am sharing photos of Plumbeous Vireos, these images were taken earlier this month in the Wasatch Mountains.
I looked up and spotted a Warbling Vireo not only out in the open plus it had gorgeous fall colors in the background. I locked focus onto the vireo and started taking images in a long burst!
I could wish that the Warbling Vireo had hung around longer so that I could have taken many more images of it but I'm thrilled that I was able to take any photos of the bird at all.
My chances of getting the Warbling Vireo photos I have dreamed of were awful but I went up into the canyon anyway.