[SBB] warbler photos (sunnyvale water plant)

[Chuq Von Rospach <[[email protected]]>]

For your enjoyment, some photos from this morning's expedition.

Here are a couple of one of the yellow warblers:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1374322411/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1375229134/in/photostream/

Here are a couple (much lower quality) of a second individual:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1375232174/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1374323777/

(the second one is in flight, and gives good defintion of the wing  
patterns)

None of my other warbler shots were remotely usable, but what I saw  
confirmed them to be female common yellowthroats, and one possible  
yellow-rump. Nothing too unusual.

and just for completeness, a very wet belted kingfisher:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1375228224/

The green heron giving me the "you aren't going to eat me, are you"  
look:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1374320329/

a couple of okay shots of the Northern Harrier:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1375226930/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1375226382/in/photostream/

and the Marsh Wren:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chuqui/1375230484/

And a bit of a story on the Marsh Wren. When I took the shot, I  
thought it was a bush tit. Seriously. It was in among the bush tits,  
and I've been trying (honest to go) to get good, quality photos of  
bush tits for a couple of months now. For such a common, not-terribly- 
wary and easy to find bird, you wouldn't think that so tough, right?  
Well, it's a bird that never sits still, and loves the shadows deep  
inside the foliage, which makes for fun. So today, I spent about 20  
minutes chasing bush tits, just because I'm stubborn, and I got this  
nice collection of fuzzy photos of bush tits. For the record, the  
score is bush tits 4, usable photos 0 (although today I came close --  
I had two shots that were just a LITTLE fuzzy, but that's not good  
enough)

So while working the bush tits, this bird pops up in the middle of  
them and perches on the reed. I was able to snap off a shot, and  
thinking it was a bush tit, I was convinced I finally had the shot I  
wanted. You can imagine my surprise when I download it and it looks  
nothing like a bush tit. Even more amusing, the stupid bird never  
said a peep, unlike every other Marsh Wren in existence -- it was  
quiet. On the other hand, that's not a bad shot; it's just not a bush  
tit....

Imagine that. A quite Marsh Wren. What next, a meadowlark with  
laryngitis?

Oh, and thanks to EVERYONE for the help on the juvenile robin. I went  
back to the guides to confirm it in my head, and I really appreciate  
it. I knew I new the bird -- I also realize I never would have gotten  
it right without help, so I don't feel quite so silly about such a  
common bird. At least 15 of you piped in with info, many with  
encouraging words on how challenging juvenile plumages can be, too.  
So -- thanks. Wanted to make sure you all knew I appreciated it, even  
if I didn't answer privately.

chuq


Chuq Von Rospach
[[email protected]]
http://chuqui.typepad.com






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