If someone told you it would take 20 birding trips to photograph the one bird you were looking for would you go? Now what if the place that bird was being seen was a gorgeous garden with other distractions in the form of other species of birds and thousands of flowers? For me it was a no-brainer decision. Since the Nashville had been seen months ago at Airlie Gardens, I have been going regularly in the hopes of photographing it. I have actually caught quick glimpses of it 4-5 times but each time it was high in a tree and feeding actively or skulking deep in a bush. Finally I got my chance on Saturday. It was high in a tree but sticking to one section and this time I just started a rapid fire sequence of shots and came out with a few decent pics.
This Hermit Thrush was from a bit earlier in the day.
Bingo!!! Nashville Warbler. Note the prominent eye ring.
In this photo he was actually hanging upside-down so I rotated the photo.
Red-headed Woodpecker at the Battleship.
Sunday I took a nice drive on Lee Buck Rd. Not too many migrants had arrived but I got a few birds.
Cattle Egret with an Andrew Dice Clay haircut.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Black-and-White Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Has to be the best warbler on the East Coast.
Eastern Kingbird
Great times.
I might take a drive early to try for the Lake Norman Western Grebe in the morning. Have some conference calls after noon so will have to make quick work of it.
The Prothonotary photo sizzles!
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