Tag: Bird Photography

Welcome to my bird photography posts! You'll discover an array of avian beauties, including Warblers, Finches and Sparrows, Blackbirds and Orioles, Thrushes, Cardinals and Buntings, Goldfinches and Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers and Nuthatches, Wrens, Ducks and Swallows, Jays Sparrows, Chickadees and Hawks.

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

The Song Sparrow is one of the most familiar North American sparrows.

While walking through Institute Woods, I heard the most melodious song. The Merlin ID app identified the bird song as the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), a small passerine bird native to North America.

The Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) belongs to the family Emberizidae. The bird's plumage is generally brown and streaked, with a streaked breast and a dark spot in the centre of its chest. Its bill is conical and suited for a varied diet that includes seeds, insects, and small fruits.

Song Sparrows inhabit a wide range of habitats, including grasslands, marshes, shrublands, and suburban areas with dense vegetation. They are often seen foraging on the ground or perched on low branches. These sparrows are territorial during the breeding season and build cup-shaped nests in shrubs or grassy areas. They are widespread throughout their range and play a role in seed dispersal and insect control in their ecosystems.

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) · 14 April 2024 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

I am afraid to say it because I don't want to put negative vibes out into the universe, but I'm bored at work. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to have a paycheque but the work that I'm doing is way below the skills and experience I've developed. I spend most of my day reading and taking online courses on Udemy to stave off boredom.

I feel guilty taking the clients money but the contract stipulates that I can't do other work while I'm under contract with them. I wish I had more challenging work but I don't want to be so busy that I have to skip lunch. That's what the last contract was like. I want a balance between boredom and the hamster wheel.

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

This time of the year, I am on a hunt for migratory warblers. Warblers are Neotropical migrants which means they spend their winters as far south as South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. In the Spring they return to breed, travelling as far north as Canada. In the past, from April to May, I travelled hours from my home to Cape May and Southampton Township and Stoke State Forest Park in North Western New Jersey to find warblers to photograph.

It was by chance that I discovered that getting up at 5 AM to travel two hours to a warbler hotspot was not necessary. On a Friday I called the Cape May Bird Observatory to inquire about renewing my membership and the timing of the warbler migrations. The friendly gentleman who answered the call asked where I lived and when I said "near Princeton", he said, "We would love for you to visit Cape May, but you don’t need to drive here. The warbler migration path passes right through Princeton". He rattled off a set of birding hotspots including Institute Woods in Princeton. It’s about a 10-minute drive from home. I was so excited.

The last time I visited Institute Woods was in 2017. I woke up early Sunday morning, quickly ate breakfast, and packed my X-T3 and XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR along with a shoulder harness and spare batteries. I parked on the lot on Olden Avenue near the trailhead to Trolley Track Trail. I started a new track in eBird and set the Merlin ID app to help me identify the bird songs I was hearing.

I heard and saw several American robins (Turdus migratorius) in the trees and the grassy field near the parking lot. As I entered the trailhead, I heard and saw Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The Song Sparrow stayed up in the trees.

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) · 14 April 2024 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

I found a narrow trail that headed south toward the homes. I later found out it was connected to Pipeline Trail. Near the middle of the trail, I saw several birds chasing each other between the thicket of shrubs that grew on either side of the trail. Merlin ID identified them as White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). I have most recently photographed White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) for the first time in the backyard. I counted about seven individuals. I waited patiently for the right moment.

I like this set of portraits better. The ones taken in my backyard show the bird on the ground scratching on the grass and brush near the fence line. I think seeing the bird in the bushes makes the photograph feel more "natural".

(Myrtle) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

The Yellow-rumped Warble species is one of the most widespread and most commonly encountered but I have photographed a Yellow-rumped Warbler only once before; during the fall migration and my first visit to the The Beanery at Rea Farm.

There are two main populations: "Audubon's" found in the western U.S. and British Columbia mountains, and "Myrtle" found from the eastern U.S. to Alaska.

Both populations display bright yellow rumps and sides, with "Audubon's" having yellow throats and "Myrtle" having white throats that extend below the cheek. They breed in coniferous or mixed forests near clearings and are also found in various habitats during migration and winter, including woodlands, shrubby areas, coastal dunes, fields, parks, and residential areas.

The one I photographed in Cape May and the one I photographed in my backyard are Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warblers. I was very excited and very surprised when I heard the Warbler. I pulled out the Merlin ID app to confirm the call and then sat patiently on the deck in the backyard for my entire lunchtime, waiting for the opportunity. I struggled to get a good clear photograph of the Warbler.

Yellow-rumped Warblers primarily feed on insects, often seen hopping between perches. They also consume berries in winter. Their calls are distinct: "check" for Myrtle and rising "chit" for Audubon’s. I could hear two distinct calls from either end of the woods beyond the fence line.