Yellow-rumped Warbler

[Bill Dix]

We hoped that our recent trip to Cape May would produce lots of photo opportunities, as past trips have. For some reason on these several days, there were almost no passerines to be found, with the notable exception of Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers which were in abundance - probably in the thousands. Oft scorned because of their ubiquity (known by some as "butter-butts"), they are in fact very pretty little warblers. But despite their numbers they were difficult to photograph on this day, constantly flitting around in thick brush and dark undergrowth. This one posed in the open for several seconds. Softening some highlights in the BG produced some dreaded dark green posterization.

a1, 200-600 @ 600mm, ISO 6400, 1/2500s @ f/6.3 manual, HH.

[Randy Stout]

Bill:

Nicely exposed, well scaled perch, head angle good. It is always unpredictable what shows up, at least in the areas I frequent. Avian flu has really been a factor locally.

Cheers

Randy

[Brian Sump]

Bill, little cutie. We get them here in CO but mostly the Audoban's variety.

Despite being behind the perch, we get good eye contact and a good look at plumage. Love seeing both talons in-plane.

The little bit of texture on the perch adds. It does feel a touch dark overall to my eye, I wonder if you could have bumped the exp some?

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the bird and agree it could be a tad brighter. I think the background needs a little work, maybe processing it as a mask at the raw stage would help. I also see area of cloning above the head and there is is a vertical line running just to the right of the bird's leg.