Black and White Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — One of the issues for this year’s Biggest Week in American Birding is that the trees are fully leafed out. The Apple along the boardwalk that is normally in full boom, or some years, just coming into bloom, is totally past bloom and the flowers are all gone. The leafy trees make warbler photography particularly difficult as there is almost always something between you and the bird. It makes me very thankful for the bird detection, bird’s eye tracking auto focus, which, at least some of time, gets miraculous shots right through foreground obstructions. This is a case in point…where the bird was almost totally obstructed and yet the OM-1Mkii pulled it off, giving me a rare shot of Black and White Warbler in major preening motion, almost turned inside out. 🙂 OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Chestnut-sided Warbler: Magee Marsh Boardwalk, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2024 — It is a nice sunny day on the boardwalk this morning and I am sure the warblers are hopping. Unfortunately I came down with what might be a case of food poisoning last night so I am sticking close to the hotel room. The Chestnut-sided Warbler is one of the friendliest of warblers on the boardwalk, often approaching within feet of birders. This is pretty much a full frame shot at 800mm equivalent. The tricky part is, of course, keeping the bird in frame when it is that close. The only way is just shoot a lot of frames! OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.