Pic of a Day

Yellow Warbler, Setophaga petechia:  Magee Marsh, Ohio

     This is another of my favorite shots at Magee Marsh this past week.  Again, it is not so much the bird as it is the background that I like.  This image was shot in almost the same spot as the previous post.

     “Petechia,” in the Latin name refers to the red streaking on the breast.  Petechia, defined by the Mayo Clinic is “pinpoint, round spots that appear on the skin as a result of bleeding.
     The Yellow Warbler is most likely, the most abundant warbler in the Americas.  It breeds over most of North America, and was by far the most abundant warbler at Magee Marsh.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/640 @ f/8

Pic of the Day

Yellow Warbler, Setophaga petechia: Magee Marsh, Ohio

    America's Biggest Birding Week is happening right now at Magee Marsh on the south shore of Lake Erie in Ohio. I was there for six days meeting many of my Facebook friends and enjoying the many migrants that are passing through.  I found this bird near Turtle Creek where it, and its mate had established a nesting territory.  This bird was easy to photograph as it sang its territorial song from its perch in a willow tree. 

Click this Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xOW4iR1NKI to here a Yellow Warbler.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f/4, 1/1250 second @ f/7.1

Pic of the Day

Yellow Warbler, Dendroica petechia; Magee Marsh, Ohio

     Yellow Warblers are wide spread and were the most abundant species I saw at Magee Marsh this spring.  I heard this fellow singing from a small tree as I moseyed down the boardwalk.  With its chestnut-streaked breast and cheerful yellow plumage the yellow warbler is a brilliant sight to brighten a spring morning.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/500 sec. @ f6.3 

Pic of the Day

     Yellow Warbler – Magee Marsh, Ohio:  On my last day at Magee Marsh while shooting birds along the boardwalk I encountered this fine example of a male yellow warbler.  Male yellow warblers, as their name implies are yellow, but with elegant red streaks that fall from the top of the breast to its underside.  Richard Crossley, author of the Crossley ID Guide, stopped where I was shooting and ask what I was seeing.  As I rattled off a number of different species a yellow warbler flew to a perch just above us and began singing its heart out.  Richard, looking at the warbler asked, “do you know the Latin name for the yellow warbler?”  No, I don’t, was my reply.  “It’s Dendroica petechia”, then he told me that petechia is a medical term.  Petechia is minute hemorrhaging of vessels just under the skin causing red spots or streaks.  

Dendroica petechia, it’s a good Latin name for the yellow warbler.

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/320 second @ f9