Yellow-throated Warbler

[Bill Dix]

Everyone around these parts agrees that this past spring was a terrible warbler migration season. So when I saw some recent postings by the local birding community claiming SEVEN warbler species currently being seen, in January no less, we couldn't resist the chase. It turns out that the setting was the Trenton Sewer Plant, which has seen some unusual birds in past winters. Apparently the warmth of the treatment ponds creates a micro-environment that keeps bugs around even when the temperature is below freezing, and the insect-eating species like warblers have discovered it. After several humorous failed attempts to find the place, wasting the better part of the morning, we discovered a strip of trees that did in fact contain seven species of warblers, along with Kinglets and other birds. Luckily it was bright overcast, so the early afternoon light wasn't a detriment. This Yellow-throated Warbler, in my opinion, is one of the more strikingly beautiful warblers, and he obliged with a few clear poses amid a tangle of vines and branches. I bit of low-opacity Brush and Blur were used to mitigate the effects of an oof chain-link fence behind him.

D7200, 500f4 + 1.4 TC, ISO 1600, 1/640s @ f/6.3 manual.

[annmpacheco]

What a little jewel you found Bill, and oh so cooperative out in the open and in January! top notch image here, i agree that this fellow is quite striking and your capture did him proud! Would have never known about the chain link fence in the BG, well done. I'm fairly lean in my PS skill would you explain a little about brush and blur please? Id like to try it out!

[Bill Dix]

What a little jewel you found Bill, and oh so cooperative out in the open and in January! top notch image here, i agree that this fellow is quite striking and your capture did him proud! Would have never known about the chain link fence in the BG, well done. I'm fairly lean in my PS skill would you explain a little about brush and blur please? Id like to try it out!

Thanks Ann. For the Brush, I used the Brush tool with a soft edge, at 16% opacity. I first used the Eyedropper to select a color that I thought would help blend in the fence pattern - sort of trial and error, I guess - and then, with the brush, painted over the areas of the BG that showed the pattern until they looked better. All done on a background adjustment layer, of course. Then, having made a selection of the bird and perch, and put them on a layer, I selected the inverse and put it on a layer beneath that. Using Gaussian blur on this background layer I adjusted the amount of blur until it diminished the fence pattern further. Some will think that I've smoothed out the BG too much here, and I'll admit I smoothed it more than I normally would because of the fence. Note that when making the initial selection of the bird and perch, make sure to feather the selection to reduce the "pasted on" appearance.

[annmpacheco]

Thank you Bill for your time and expertise, I'll give it a try.

[Ross Taylor]

Hi Bill, This is great work at fixing up the BG! It looks great :) As for the Bird and perch, very nice IQ and exposure. Composition is very much to my liking also. A little nit: you may want to clone out the (very small) but very white spec in the middle of the black on the cheek ;) I agree, this is a great looking warbler!

TFS-Ross

[Jim Crosswell]

A real beauty Bill! I like the pose, sharpness, details, composition, BG and exposure.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Nice work, Bill. Thank you for sharing.

[Daniel Cadieux]

You really took advantage of that opportunity! Great colours, and the processing work is tastefully done. Although parallel to the sensor I would have preferred the head turned a degree or two more towards us - only because the body angle is turned such. What a long-billed warbler this is!

[Grace Scalzo]

Had to read this twice to confirm that you said January. What a great bird, and I think that the pose here shows off his features well. Your processing looks perfect and the light was perfect for this. What a find and photographed so well.

[Geoffrey Montagu]

What a crazy, wonderful morning it was. As someone said shortly after arriving at this location, "It's just like April". Great work capturing this beautiful warbler, Bill in what turned out to be great light. Like the perch as well and fine detail. Very nice post on the BG.


Geoffrey

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all. Yes, Daniel, he does have a long bill for a warbler. He feeds by probing crevices in bark and pine needle clusters, for insects and spiders, so I guess a bit of length helps.