Tag: Burlington County

Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)

I took hundreds of photographs of this bird during the field trip with Ray to an area near Bear Swamp Preserve. I love the bright yellow features and blue-grey feathers. I was even blessed with a warbling performance.

The Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) is a small songbird belonging to the Parulidae family. It is primarily found in eastern North America, particularly in deciduous forests and woodland edges. This species has a distinctive appearance with blue-grey wings, yellow underparts (yes, bird wear pants), and a pale yellow-green back. It feeds primarily on insects and spiders, foraging in shrubs and low vegetation.

During the breeding season, the Blue-winged Warbler constructs cup-shaped nests made of grasses, leaves, and bark strips, typically placed in shrubs or small trees. It lays a clutch of 4-6 eggs, which are incubated for about 10-12 days.

Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) · 27 April 2019 · FujiFilm X-T2 · XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

The Blue-winged Warbler is known for its relatively short migratory range compared to other warbler species, often wintering in the Caribbean and Central America. Conservation efforts for this species often focus on preserving its woodland habitats and managing factors that may impact its breeding success and survival.

Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) · 27 April 2019 · FujiFilm X-T2 · XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

You can learn more about Ray Hennessy's work and sign up for his workshops on his website]. You can learn more about the Blue-winged Warbler at the Cornell Lab All About Birds website.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler (Geothlypis trichas)

I am unsure about the identification of this bird but I think it's a Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas).

Abundant and well-known, the Common Yellowthroat has succeeded by being a nonconformist. As the only one of our warblers that will nest in open marshes, it is found in practically every reed bed and patch of cattails from coast to coast. Although it sometimes hides in the marsh, its low rough call note will reveal its presence. The male often perches atop a tall stalk to rap out his distinctive song, wichity-wichity-wichity.

You can learn more about Ray Hennessy's work and sign up for his workshops on his website. You can learn more about the Common Yellowthroat at the Audubon Society’s website.

Prairie Warbler

This set of images was photographed during a recent Ray Hennessey field trip that I attended. I took a lot of photos of birds that morning. I am still reviewing each shot to find keepers.

The birds fly quickly between the branches of the low trees eating insects. When they stopped, I had just seconds to compose my photograph and push the shutter. I had the frame rate of the Fujifilm X-T2 set on continuous high with camera mode set to performance boost. The camera is shooting at 11 frames per second.

The Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) is a small songbird found in New Jersey during the breeding season. It prefers open habitats such as shrubby areas, young forests, and grasslands with scattered trees. The male Prairie Warbler has yellow underparts with streaks on the sides, a yellow face with a black eyeline, and olive-green upperparts. Females and juveniles have duller plumage. They feed primarily on insects and spiders, foraging in shrubs and low vegetation.

During migration, Prairie Warblers travel to Central and South America. In New Jersey, they build cup-shaped nests in shrubs or low trees using grass, leaves, and twigs. Prairie Warblers are territorial during the breeding season and use distinctive songs to communicate and defend their territory.

Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) · 27 April 2019 · FujiFilm X-T2 · XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

You can learn more about Ray Hennessy's work and sign up for his workshops on his website.