Bay-breasted Wisp of Smoke

I endeavored to take pictures of a male bay-breasted warbler on Sunday morning, after the end of the New River Birding Festival. Geoff Heeter, owner of Opossum Creek Retreat where much of the festival is held, and his wife Kyle, had us over to their farmhouse for breakfast and a smidge of birding.

After breaky, we headed over the hill down to the creek, where, in the thickest stands of rhododendron, several Swainson's warblers nest each spring. We caught glimpses of this spooky warbler, but never really set eyes on him. Good thing Zick had gotten great looks the day before (and I, last year) or we might have been bumming...

Back to the bay-breasted. He never sat still, except when he was perfectly backlit or behind a thick bough. Here are the only images not already committed to the digital trashcan.

Cursed branch! Stop vexing me!

Such a lovely bird and still, so shy.

Laws of the Universe dictate that 89% of all warbler images look like this.

Can you find a better color scheme than this?

Blow it up and sharpen the crapola out of it and it starts looking like art.