Hooded warbler @ Sam Smith

[Shortsighted]

A report and photo of a non-mature, or female Hooded warbler at Colonel Samuel Smith Park a couple of days ago. Don't see those very often. Add to that my report of a Golden-winged and Blue-winged warbler (the latter having been seen by a few people) makes this spring migration a little different than usual. There was a great photo of a Golden-winged warbler on eBird taken at the Carden Alvar. Must have been taken at point-blank range. Another point-blank shot of a Mourning warbler and Wilson's warbler by Brian Stahls at Ashbridges Bay. Mind you, he was using 700mm at f5.6 with a full-frame Canon R6 that can shoot at ISO 1600 as if that setting was primo territory. I can't dial in 1600 without cringing.

[Charline]

I got a blue-grey gnatcatcher at Sammy. Maybe some others. Haven't looked at them all.

[Shortsighted]

Hey, I'll take a Blue-gray gnatcatcher anytime, especially since I've seen only ONE of them this spring, which I previously posted, as I am required to do. Nice shot. When one of these birds is captured with a blue sky background it is especially attractive. Usually the background is a tangle of shrubbery, or an overcast sky. Your gnatcatcher is out in the open, free as a bird, and pose-worthy. Not allowed, you naughty bird ... get thee to a shrubbery, I say!

[Charline]

After I took the photo, I showed it to someone who told me there was a nest nearby.

[Shortsighted]

You mean like this:

[Shortsighted]

A Hooded warbler was also spotted in Tommy Thompson Park this month.