Chestnut-sided Warbler

[Bill Dix]

I came across this guy singing away in a patch of sunlight on Memorial Day. I got just a few images before a holiday outing of 10 people came down the trail. Got the usual "What are you taking pictures of?" query, followed by "Oh look, there he is!" with a quick wave of the arm which spooked him. Oh well. It's what I get for going to a popular trail on a holiday morning.

D7000, 700mm, ISO 800, 1/1250s @ f/6.3 manual, fill @ -1.7 EV.

[Satish Ranadive]

Bill Sir,
Spectacular image of beautiful bird. Superb IQ, beautiful exposure, great detail and beautiful green BG.
Love the singing pose, perch with single leaf, lovely color pallet and composition.

Regards,
Satish.

[John Robinson]

What a cracking little bird ! and a background with just that bit of detail too.
Nice one Bill.
John

[Binu John]

You've captured a beautiful singing pose, Bill! Very nice light, BG and composition! Well done!

[Geoffrey Montagu]

Glad you were able to get a few images, Bill. Wonderful IQ, light and detail. Like the perch too.





Geoffrey

[gail bisson]

I always have a hefty amount of admiration for warbler pictures.
These birds are so small and fast that I call warbler photography "Extreme Birding".
The singing pose is lovely and the IQ is very good.
Whites look great as well.
I know you gave more room at the top of the frame for him to "sing into" but I would take about 5% off the top.
Gail

[Sidharth Kodikal]

One of my favorite warblers, and you've got this male in a beautiful singing pose.
Lighting seems to be a bit tricky, but you flash seems to have helped. Love that wonderfully clean bg. Agree with Gail re. a bit off the top.

[Greg Payne]

Really nice. Love the background. I like the leaf on the perch. And what a beautiful bird with a wonderful pose.

[christopher galeski]

nice image,good singing pose,nice BG.

[Daniel Cadieux]

I can relate to your story Bill!!

Nice singing pose here, and I like the vertical composition. Harsh light but dealt with well. Not crazy about the perch, it's OK, but could be better. A couple of faint smudges at the wing tips can be smoothed out. Love that BG!!

[Bill Dix]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the comments and suggestions. Here's a repost with a different crop. The OP crop was already sizable, and I was afraid anything more wouldn't do the IQ any favors, but I think it held up. I also slightly toned down the brightness of the perch, and took care of the "smudges", whatever they were.

I like Gail's comment about Extreme Birding. I think of it as Frustratation Tolerance Therapy, an exercise that I subject myself to every spring for a month or so. Warblers are indeed tough little creatures; fast, tiny, often in dark woods and on lousy perches. So I tell myself I should be happy just to get one or two.