Common Yellowthroat at Mercer Meadows

This wasn't the first time I had photographed the Common Yellowthroat Warbler, but it was my first time doing so at Mercer Meadows.

After a brief distraction watching a rabbit enjoy breakfast, I continued my search for birds. Earlier, two photographers with impressive zoom lenses on their cameras had passed by, clearly interested in capturing avian moments. I walked past them and found a spot about ten meters ahead to focus on my own bird photography.

I attempted to capture images of birds coming and going from their nests in the meadow, but unfortunately, I didn't have much luck. As I was trying, the two photographers caught up with me, and we struck up a friendly conversation. The elder photographer seemed quite familiar with the park and shared some helpful tips on where I might have better chances of spotting birds in the meadow. The other photographer appeared to be around my age and was relatively new to bird photography.

While we were talking, I heard a chittering sound coming from a nearby thicket, and I immediately got my camera ready. This wasn't the first time I had photographed the Common Yellowthroat Warbler, but it was my first time doing so at Mercer Meadows. The male warbler was busy hunting for insects in the thicket, and I was fortunate to capture a shot of him holding his prey in his beak.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler.
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) · 18 June 2023 · FujiFilm X-T3 · XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR

The Common Yellowthroat Warbler stands out due to its unconventional nesting habit. Unlike other warblers, it chooses to nest in open marshes, making it a common sight in reed beds and areas with cattails throughout the country. The male of this species can often be seen perched on tall stalks, delivering its unique song, characterised by the rhythmic repetition of "Wichita-Wichita-Wichita."

Yellow Warbler

Ray and I chanced upon a moment of magic as we wandered through Stokes State Forest Park trails near Sandyston. Nestled among the white blossoms of a cherry blossom tree, a Yellow Warbler gazed out at the world, its feathers a bright, cheerful yellow trimmed with delicate, reddish streaks. The freshness of spring was all around, the air sweet with the scent of blooms.

The warbler seemed as curious about me as I was about it. It perched perfectly still, perhaps enjoying the gentle warmth of the spring sun just like I was. I felt connected to this tiny bird, a shared participant in the season's drama.

I admired how this small and delicate songbird brought life to the already vibrant sound of nature's morning symphony. Here in the lush green of Stokes State Forest Park, the simplicity of a bird amongst the blossoms is so easily missed if one doesn't stop to look.

We found three individuals making noise and chasing each other among the tree's branches, leaves, and blossoms. The Yellow Warbler was not on my shotlist, but the birds were so entertaining that Ray and I couldn't pass up the opportunity. The challenge was, "How do I get a clear photograph of these rapidly moving birds?".

We had fun trying. The birds hopped among the branches and stem, sometimes zooming away to another tree on the far end of the pond.

American Redstart

The American Redstart is coal-black with vivid orange patches on the sides, wings, and tail, but I prefer the orange "scarf" of the Blackburnian Warbler.

I have one good photograph of the American Redstart, and this is it. This little warbler hops among tree branches moving quickly and erratically. I did my best to keep up, but I had just a couple of keepers when I reviewed the images in Adobe Lightroom. This image is the best of the two.

The American Redstart is coal-black with vivid orange patches on the sides, wings, and tail, but I prefer the orange "scarf" of the Blackburnian Warbler.