Each photographer works in her or his own way.  Unless I am photographing a wedding, doing an environmental portraiture session, working on an article about a specific place or part of nature, or a book, I never really know where the camera lens will lead me.  This week was a good example.  Heading out to photograph the beautiful purple asters that dot the landscape at this time of year, I moved from flower to flower, realizing the flowers were almost done with their bloom cycle.  The two different photo shoots I did under completely different conditions rendered less than stellar results.  

Leave it to the birds, however, to provide entertainment and subject matter. They know when rain is coming, and decide, seemingly en masse, to bathe. The western bluebirds start first, but what brought my camera and 70-200 mm lens out of its bag, were the different groups of other birds about to get seriously wet. There were chipping sparrows, field sparrows, a female western tanager, and those distinctive yellow-rumped warblers.  Here is an image of one just beginning to bathe, and then, soaked.

Yellow rumped warbler in bath_

Yellow rumped warbler in bird bath #2

What was a surprise to me was the fact that many of these warblers which usually sport black, yellow, and white feathers, had brown heads and scapulars.  I thought perhaps they were female, but after consulting The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley, I realized the brown ones are juveniles.  They are in their first winter mode (August through April).

Yellow rumped warblers in bird bath (1st year)

Here are an adult and first year warbler together.  Looks like the elder has a thing or two to say, like "mine!"

Yellow rumped warblers in bird bath (1st year and mature)

The tables are turned in the image below.

Yellow rumped warblers in bird bath (1st year and mature # 2)

Finally, a couple of shots of the purple asters, which were the original concept for today's blog.

Purple asters 2

Purple aster blooms 1

Thanks so very much to those of you who have commented the last two Mondays, including Marilyn, Jean and Sam, Steve, Susie, Terry, Barbara, Maria, Wayne, Lisa, Donna C., Lawrence, TTT, Elida, Catherine, Dianne, Christina, and Debra.  

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@