A Maplewood Week

while I didn't originally plan on it, I ended up going to Maplewood after work for a couple of hours every day this past week.

Here are some of the highlights.

Monday


I decided to start working on my BIF techinique.
The Mew gulls would fly by the point quite close but the trick was tracking them in-focus against a blue sky. Much more practice is required


one of the many Yellow-rumped Warblers I've encountered the last little while.


I initially ID'd this as Chipping Sparrow but later learned that it was indeed a White-crowned Sparrow.

Tuesday


Glaucus-winged Gull.

Wednesday


Y-R Warbler.
The birds were numerous and gave excellent opportunities for photography.

Thursday


terrible shot of a very handsome White-throated Sparrow.
My bad luck with this species continues - briefest of looks before it disappeared into the bushes and my light levels are off for all 6 shots.
lightened a very dark shot (too dark) for ID record purposes only.

Friday


Savannah Sparrow


Y-R Warbler

and finally a long-range shot.

I waited over two hours for this bird to take flight so I could get some wing-spread action.
As luck would have it my head was turned when it suddenly took aim (unsuccessfully) at a female Red-breasted Merganser who seemed quite surprised by it all.
Before all that a Belted Kingfisher flew right up to the Osprey like it wanted it's perch or something and I missed that shot as well

I saw a lot of birds during the week, lots more than I was able to get shots of.