I took me years to even see a male adult Blackpoll warbler. They get reported
every year but I was beginning to think they were a hoax, like Big Foot, and
that I would never get to meet one. I did spot a juvenile Blackpoll at Cranberry marsh.
I managed a shot of it otherwise I might never have known what it was because
a juvenile Blackpoll has no immediate resemblance to the adult male you saw.
I think my sighting one at Ashbridges is only because they seem so abundant
this year. Even so, the one I photographed was a bit too high, exploring the
mid-story region of the tree and adamant about avoiding me. This is typical
of Blackpolls. I mean, it being high in the trees, not about it avoiding me ... although.
You are having some good Bunting sightings. It's as intense a blue as the sky behind
it. What a colour! I saw a couple of IB at Ashbridges and took a couple of shots but
they were just too distant, even with cropping. The IB can be hard to expose properly
much like a RWBB. Some exposure compensation to the right of center is almost
always required because the sky indicates more intense light than the bird actually
reflects. Humber Trail is certainly keeping you engaged and we all benefit from that
relationship.
PS. Your Barn Swallow shot is exciting. You got the head and eye in decent focus and
that is the sweet spot. Blur any where else is just emotion-worthy and makes even a
still photo seem dynamic. To achieve that with a 500mm lens is amazing.
