Yellow-rumped Warbler

Gallery: AvianPosted February 7, 2010194 views24 comments

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)

Place: Sweetwater, Tucson, AZ, USA
Date: January 9, 2010
Equipment: Nikon D200, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC20E (2x), G1325, RRS BH-55, Sidekick
Exposure: ISO 400, aperture priority matrix metered, 1/350th @ f/11
Raw, PS CS3 on Mac G4, moderate crop

I haven’t had a chance to shoot much lately, nor had the time to edit the stuff I got yesterday, so here’s one from a month ago (same outing as a Black Phobe and an adult Vermilion Flycatcher I posted here). The image shows how this bird got its name, and why birders often call it the butter-butt.

As always: honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated. As always, I’ve included a larger version to make it easier to judge sharpness and detail and I hope you will view the larger image before commenting.

Comments

24 comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on February 7, 2010 at 9:21 PM

As you pointed out, this is a perfect example of how the warbler got its name and I've been trying for a shot like for a long time. I don't have any I like as well as this, with the great head turn and bg.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on February 7, 2010 at 9:25 PM

it looks like you found a great place to shoot while you were there. I like everything about this: the pose (with head turn and yellow-rump), the sharpness, the water in the background, and especially how you used a DOF that got the whole bird in focus

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on February 7, 2010 at 9:39 PM

Very nice demonstration of the yellow rump. excellent detail, interesting bg. Very nice.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on February 7, 2010 at 10:13 PM

Thankyou for that ID as I have gotten a few and could not find them in my books. I love the background on this as well as his slight over the shoulder glance.

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on February 7, 2010 at 10:36 PM

This is really much more than a simple image of the Yellow-rumped Warbler, Rich. If that's all you wanted to communicate you could just do a vertical crop and show us this lovely detailed image of the bird by itself. Showing us this vast, stormy looking environment for this little bird in half of the image really adds to the message and creates questions as to the location, etc.. Sure looks like a barren place for a little warbler.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 7, 2010 at 11:03 PM

I particularly like the common grayish browns of both bird and bg here, a great look at the rump as well.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Darren McKenna on February 7, 2010 at 11:25 PM

A beauty Richard, if it were mine I might crop off the right side somewhat, nice as presented.

darrenmckenna.com

Registered on October 28, 2008, 31 Posts, 214 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 7, 2010 at 11:27 PM

Looks like a favored perching rock along the water. I like the paint brush-like striations in the background, very attractive setting for the Yellow-rump. You made the most of the setting by having the bird offset far to the left.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Angela McCain on February 7, 2010 at 11:43 PM

Lovely image with great detail. I like the extended crop.

Do you like the TC20E?

Registered on April 19, 2009, 367 Posts, 3589 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 7, 2010 at 11:50 PM

Do you like the TC20E?

Most of the time. It is essential to my system, giving me enough optical reach for the birds that dominate my subject matter, while keeping the optics affordable, light enough to carry around all day, and close focusing without the need to add an extension tube.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 8, 2010 at 9:11 AM

Rich,

There isn't a thing I would change in this image. The pose, light, details and sharpness are all great. I find the composition very appealing too, well balanced and the space on the right side is perfect since the bird is looking that way.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 8, 2010 at 9:13 AM

Rich - I knew this was from Sweetwater from the thumbnail. I'd love a Yellow-rumped photo like this and the composition is particularly wonderful.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on February 8, 2010 at 9:49 AM

Nice, Richard. I find myself using that same 300 + 2.0X combo very much more often these days, for the very reasons you pointed out.

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 8, 2010 at 10:03 AM

Beautiful composition, Richard. I really like the way the water came out in this image. The exposure on the yellow rump is perfect.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on February 8, 2010 at 10:44 AM

Lovely look at that butter rump. I also love the background. He gave you a perfect headturn and you found some great light. Excellent image.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on February 8, 2010 at 2:16 PM

Nice detail and I really like the composition on this. The yellow does not look over exposed (or over processed) and that can be really tricky (at least for me). Well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on February 8, 2010 at 3:10 PM

Very nice Rich! I took an almost identical shot at Sweetwater last week on the rocks right by the entrance bridge. There were about a "bazillion" Yellow-rumps there landing on all the little rocks. You captured this one perfectly.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 8, 2010 at 4:02 PM

Rich, this is a great shot of this warbler. I love these yellow-rumps. I really like your comp and the great head turn and BG.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on February 8, 2010 at 7:20 PM

Very effective composition. I really like this one. Well done Richard.

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on February 8, 2010 at 8:46 PM

Shazam! - this one speaks to me Rich. Head turn, yellows, spectacular water background, comp - all wonderfully presented. My oh my... terrific!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by David Sparks on February 8, 2010 at 10:34 PM

Richard:
Wow! The color combination is most striking. Yellow-rumped are almost the only warblers I'm seeing now, but I've never seen one in an open area like this. Wonderful capture.

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by Ravee Wattanatanak on February 9, 2010 at 3:02 AM

I like the head turn and the perch.

Registered on December 12, 2008, 105 Posts, 786 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Dubois on February 9, 2010 at 2:37 PM

I like it Rich.

Registered on February 22, 2005, 129 Posts, 4739 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on February 10, 2010 at 12:25 AM

Nice, Rich. A good view of this bird. I like the background and the overall sharpness of the subject.

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments