Backyard Birding Extravaganza

sm4him · Sep 22, 2015

It's migration season for the birds, and that has translated to a lot of interesting new birds for me!

Did you know that there are over 50 different species of warblers in North America? At least 40 of those come through the area where I live during migration.

I've been doing avian photography for 3 years now--I don't know whether I just missed this explosion of warblers in my yard the last two years, or if they have just suddenly discovered the glorious insect bounty to be had in my yard.

Regardless, I've added NINE new birds to my backyard list, in just the last week (not all of them were warblers, but the majority were). That brings the total for my backyard to 59 different bird species.
Of the nine new backyard birds this past week, 5 of them were also "lifer" birds (birds I've never seen anywhere before).

Warblers (and Vireos) are really quite difficult to get decent photos of, because they like to hide in the densest part of the trees, or hang out really, really high up in the tallest trees, and they are constantly flitting about--in the time it takes to AF on one, it's long since left that spot.

These may not be award-winning photos, by any stretch of the imagination, but they may be birds some of you haven't seen before, so I thought I'd share.

As always, C&C, general comments and witty banter are all appreciated.

1. American Redstart, F

2. Magnolia Warbler

3. Chestnut-Sided Warbler

4. EXTREMELY Rare Fuchsia-Breasted Warbler...or possibly an Eastern Kingbird that got into the pokeberries.

5. Wilson's Warbler

6. Tennessee Warbler, F (which, oddly enough, are only in Tennessee during migration)

7. Yellow-Throated Warbler

8. Common Yellowthroat, F (I'm not 100% convinced on this ID, but better birders than I have confirmed it)

9. Yellow-Throated Vireo

Only 8 of the 9 birds posted above are included in the new backyard birds list. I had a Yellow-Throated Warbler last year, so it wasn't a new bird (but it is a better photo than last year). The ninth new bird was a Pileated Woodpecker; I've heard it, off and on, for quite some time, but always too far away to be in my yard anyway. This morning was the first time I actually saw it AND it flew into a tree in my yard, so I get to count it!

JacaRanda · Sep 22, 2015

Nice set Share-on! May I correct you? More than likely you have seen them all in your 30 years :586:

. You've just noticed since getting into birdography. Thine eyes/lenses have seen the glory

Doggone Warblers are about as bad as Sparrows for identifying. All I know is Great Blue Herons are Pterodactyls without the pointy thingy in the back of their heads Google Image Result for http://f.tqn.com/y/dinosaurs/1/S/6/C/-/-/pteranodonSD.jpg

tirediron · Sep 22, 2015

Great set Sharon!

dxqcanada · Sep 22, 2015

Yeah, the small birds are not easy to get.
You did a great job on getting usable images for identifying ... there has been sooooo many times I have missed the shot due to bird speed and having leaves in the way.
I should just take the spray n' pray approach.

WesternGuy · Sep 22, 2015

Sharon, these are a great set of "migrants". Thanks for sharing.

WesternGuy

Donde · Sep 22, 2015

Nice collection and of course many of the Fall plumage warblers are harder to identify. It is great fun and very rewarding to observe and build your yard list. Don't forget to look straight up periodically during migration seasons.

JamesScott86 · Sep 23, 2015

Excellent captures - well taken

Rob5589 · Sep 23, 2015

Great pics. You are lucky to have such a "birdy" back yard.

jcdeboever · Sep 23, 2015

#3 is perfect. Can I buy a 8x11 print of that? It would be for my Grandma's 100 birthday, she will love it. I'll do PayPal, check, money order, what ever. I just PM'd you.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

pjaye · Sep 23, 2015

Great set Sharon! Although I bought a bird book, I've totally given up trying to identify warblers and sparrows. There are PAGES of them and I just don't have the eyes to distinguish the small differences

baturn · Sep 23, 2015

Great set! New birds are always fun to capture but nine in one year is remarkable. I'm lucky to get one or two a year and it might be just a different color phase or a juvenile of birds I've shot before. Of the bird you posted only the Wilson's Warbler is familiar to me.

JacaRanda · Sep 23, 2015

Would love to see the male American Redstart.

JacaRanda · Sep 23, 2015

symplybarb said:
Great set Sharon! Although I bought a bird book, I've totally given up trying to identify warblers and sparrows. There are PAGES of them and I just don't have the eyes to distinguish the small differences

Eyes nor ears. Check these out Browse by Bird Family (taxonomy) - Wood-Warblers, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

sm4him · Sep 23, 2015

JacaRanda said:
Nice set Share-on! May I correct you? More than likely you have seen them all in your 30 years . You've just noticed since getting into birdography. Thine eyes/lenses have seen the glory

Doggone Warblers are about as bad as Sparrows for identifying. All I know is Great Blue Herons are Pterodactyls without the pointy thingy in the back of their heads Google Image Result for http://f.tqn.com/y/dinosaurs/1/S/6/C/-/-/pteranodonSD.jpg

Actually, I think "most" people truly never SEE a lot of the warblers. A few of the bolder ones, they may see and just not notice, but some of the ones that really like to hide in the bushes and up high in the trees, you really don't ever see unless you know to camp out and watch for them. But you're absolutely right about noticing them more when you do birdography. Heck, when I started, I would have told you that my area didn't even have Ospreys or Bald Eagles!! Turns out, I just wasn't paying attention to them!

Donde said:
Nice collection and of course many of the Fall plumage warblers are harder to identify. It is great fun and very rewarding to observe and build your yard list. Don't forget to look straight up periodically during migration seasons.

Thanks, Donde. Yeah, straight up has yielded some really interesting additions to my list, including a Sandhill Crane that flew over the yard last year. That sucker was LOST--there are a bunch of sandhills that winter in Chattanooga, but their migration route doesn't take them anywhere close to me. Plus, it wasn't even time for them to BE migrating.

sm4him · Sep 23, 2015

baturn said:
Great set! New birds are always fun to capture but nine in one year is remarkable. I'm lucky to get one or two a year and it might be just a different color phase or a juvenile of birds I've shot before. Of the bird you posted only the Wilson's Warbler is familiar to me.

Nine in one WEEK, that is.

JacaRanda said:
symplybarb said:

Great set Sharon! Although I bought a bird book, I've totally given up trying to identify warblers and sparrows. There are PAGES of them and I just don't have the eyes to distinguish the small differences

Click to expand...

Eyes nor ears. Check these out Browse by Bird Family (taxonomy) - Wood-Warblers, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Last year, a friend gave me her spare copy of The Warbler Guide. That book has been an absolute WONDERFUL asset during migration. I sit with the camera at the ready, and that book beside me, open to the East Fall Quick Finder page.
I have the Sibley bird guide and Peterson's as well, and I like them both, but for warblers, nothing beats this book, imo. Even if you don't buy the book, you can go to their website, and click on the "Visual Finders" link to download some great resources for helping with ID.
One little tip though: The Warbler Guide is not NEARLY as useful if it turns out that the bird you saw is actually a Vireo.