This week we have one that’s no surprise, because I rarely see birds like this – the brilliant yellow ones (or red, or any bright color really) tend to be few and far between around here for some reason. This one was trying its hardest to remain out of sight as well, flitting among the dense undergrowth on the edge of Jordan Lake, and this represents one of the few times it was mostly unobscured. It’s (likely) a prothonotary warbler, (Protonotaria citrea, and yes, that’s spelled correctly – don’t ask me why there’s an ‘H’ in the name but not in the name.) I may only have gotten this shot because the bird had captured a spider and so wasn’t as inclined to diddle around hyperactively in the foliage. This has also been shot at 600mm and further cropped.
I’ve never been much for songbirds and, with the exception of the most common ones, always have to look them up after obtaining photos – forget about memorizing calls. Even putting nest boxes up on the property has been hit-or-miss. Give me the big birds any day.