About Photographing Warblers

I thought it might be of interest to share my warbler photos along with information about each species. So, over the next days, I will copy/paste pages from my latest book: "Warblers of Arizona, A Guide to Finding and Photographing Warblers in Southern Arizona." 

If you are interested in purchasing it, please email me at exclusivelywildlifephotos.com or info@azuregate.com.

About photographing Warblers

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Warblers are not the most cooperative subjects, so photographing them can be challenging - not impossible, but certainly not like photographing hummingbirds or other birds on a bird feeder. (It is rare that warblers will go to a bird feeder. One of the few exceptions is the Yellow Rumped Warbler if the feeder is placed near its habitat).

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The problem is that warblers are either flying from tree to tree, sitting in trees, or harder still: foraging in trees. If flying, there is often a bright blue background so that the bird is merely a silhouette, lacking color and clarity. And even then the time spent flying between trees is measured in tenths of a second. So because we are talking about 4-6 inch birds moving very fast, focusing -- even with auto focus, and getting a good aerial photo is next to impossible.

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If birds are in trees they could be in the canopies 40 to 80 feet off the ground creating both a distance problem and angle problem. Also, warblers like Grace's and Olive are typically buried in pine needles. Even if warblers are lower in the trees you often have a problem with branches or leaves obstructing the photo and creating a focusing problem. That may require manual focus and loss of precious seconds.

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Most warblers are in constant motion from branch to branch or tree to tree, and often partially or completely obscured by leaves or branches. And unless you have been sitting perfectly still for many minutes, they probably know you are there. So the warbler will typically forage on the back side of the tree making it difficult to even see the bird let alone photograph it. And, if you move even slightly to get a better angle you could scare the warbler and he'll fly away.

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Lighting is often a problem when photographing birds, especially warblers. Shooting up into the sun generally won't produce a good result. In cloudy situations it may be difficult to bring out all the wonderful colors -- even making identification difficult. And in sunny situations, with all the leaves and branches, you might find a multitude of shadows obscuring parts of the warbler.

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Most warblers are shy if not skiddish. There are a few exceptions like the Painted Redstart which doesn't seem to mind so much if people are around.

So, what do you do? One approach is to find a spot where warblers visit on a regular basis. Often this means near a water or food source. Then you consider the best place to stand or sit where 1) the sun is behind you; 2) the wind (if strong) is in your face; 3) there are some open areas; 4) there are dead branches on which birds can perch; and 5) where there is a variety of vegetation upon which warblers can forage.

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Then stand or sit still and wait. It could take many minutes for a bird to show up. When a bird arrives in the back of a tree or deep inside a tree, you must resist the temptation to move around to get a better view. You have to wait patiently in hopes that the bird will eventually come to the front of the tree to forage -- or better still, perch on that dead branch. If it never does, you wait for the next bird to show up and hope for the better.

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And with some luck, a warbler will sit still, as if to acknowledge its beauty and willingness to pose for a photo.

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About birding etiquette

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Many warblers have been significantly impacted by human activity and development over the past 50 years. Some have lost as much as 50% of their 1967 population. Couple that with an increase in birders and birding activity it is important for birders to be cognizant and respectful of birds -- especially when nesting or mating. Inappropriate behavior can cause birds to abandon their nests leaving eggs or chicks behind. Bird habitats are often fragile, so trampling through wilderness areas can disturb those habitats.

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It is also important to respect private property. That means not going onto private land without permission. It means closing gates after entering. It means leaving a "donation" when asked.

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