Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/09/14

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Subject: [Leica] Birdbath at Putah Creek
From: wildlightphoto at earthlink.net (Doug Herr)
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:03:09 -0700 (GMT-07:00)

At this time of year water in California's Central Valley is a scarce 
commodity but Putah Creek in Solano and Yolo Counties still has a small 
flow.  The water level is near its lowest at this time of year, exposing 
some gravel bars where the current barely trickles over the rocks.  Wood 
warblers (family Parulidae) and other small migratory birds gravitate to the 
riparian habit along the creek and take advantage of the gravel bars to 
drink and bathe.

Wednesday morning I visited one of the warbler birdbath locations in a UC 
Davis riparian preserve.  I set up a photo blind shortly after sunrise and 
didn't have long to wait before the birds arrived at the birdbath spots in 
the creek.  As the sun rose the sun baked the blind and its contents (me!) 
so this morning instead of the blind I covered myself with mesh camo 
netting. Seemed to work OK.

The scene:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710298.jpg

Western Tanager:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710292.jpg

Black-throated Gray Warbler:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710111.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710113.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710332.jpg

Wilson's Warbler:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710130.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710363.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710367.jpg

Yellow Warbler:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710087.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710088.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710166.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710349.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710350.jpg

immature Yellow Warbler:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710290.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710343.jpg


Orange-crowned Warbler:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710134.jpg
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710103.jpg


Warbling Vireo:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710154.jpg


I'm told this is a Lincoln's Sparrow (how some people ID this at a glance is 
beyond me):
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710315.jpg


and a bird believed to be an Orchard Oriole, a first for Yolo County:
http://www.wildlightphoto.com/PutahCreek/L1710100.jpg

All photos: R8/DMR, 280mm f/4 APO + 2x APO-Extender-R, tripod.  All comments 
welcome.

Doug Herr
Birdman of Sacramento
http://www.wildlightphoto.com




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