Wild Bird Wednesday - Townsend's Warbler

Warblers frustrate me...sigh.  As a relatively new birder, I have a tough time even FINDING them (the ubiquitous Yellow-Rumped Warblers being the exception).  But, if I am lucky enough to see one, I then have the even more frustrating task of trying to get a decent photograph as they hop about in constant, hyperactive motion like they've just had a double espresso at Starbuck's. 

Still, every once in a while, I get lucky...like this day in October when I found some Townsend's Warblers hopping around this sycamore tree in the parking lot at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary.  I didn't get as good of a series of shots as I would have liked - I'd just gotten out of my car and was still making some adjustments and taking test shots when I first spotted them.  Then, all too soon, another car pulled in and parked between me and the tree (and it was an open convertible so I KNOW the guy saw that he drove right through my shots LOL) and the birds took off.  Haven't seen them there since.

Here's what I did manage to get...

 

 

These guys were definitely good at hiding amongst the leaves.

 

 

 

Just love those facial markings - so pretty!

 

 

Peek-a-boo!

 

 

 

I think he sees me.

 

 

 

One last look before he was gone...

 

 

That was it - my one and only exciting warbler encounter for 2016 that I managed to capture in photos.  Maybe my skills will improve in 2017 - Spring Migration is not that far off!  In the meantime, I'm still processing photos I took over Xmas break.  Birding was not as easy as I'd hoped since we did finally get some longed-for rain.  In spite of that, I managed to add two lifers:  Long-eared Owl (but no photos!) and American Bittern.  I'll be sharing the Bittern in a future post.

 

KJ