I was set up for a Downy Woodpecker along the auto tour road at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. Then a tiny bird flashed near the water and changed my whole plan.
I swung my lens, settled the bean bag on the truck window, and tried to keep up.
Wildlife Notes
A quick glimpse in the brush
The bird kept darting in and out of cover. It gave me only short openings before it slipped back into the tangle.
That “now you see it, now you don’t” behavior is what made the moment fun. It also made it frustrating in the best way.
ID help and what stood out
After the shoot, I reached out to fellow photographer Mia McPherson, and she confirmed the ID as a Swamp Sparrow.
In the field, what I noticed most was how small it looked against the brush. It stayed low, close to the edge, and moved fast.
Timing and season
This was a winter bird for Oklahoma. Swamp Sparrows migrate, and many spend the colder months in the southern U.S. before heading north to breed in spring.
Photography Notes
Support and shooting position
I photographed this from my truck, using a bean bag draped over the open window. That setup let me react quickly without fighting a tripod in tight quarters.
The hard part was not the distance. It was the timing. I had to wait for the bird to pop into a clean gap and then shoot fast.
Gear used for this photo
- Camera: Canon EOS R7
- Lens: RF 800mm F11 IS STM
Settings and details
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
- Date/Time: February 13, 2023 at 9:53 a.m.
- Mode: Manual
- Aperture: f/11
- Shutter: 1/2000
- ISO: 2500 (Auto)
- Focal length: 800mm
Closing
I love surprises like this. I went out ready for one subject, and I left with a small victory over a bird that never stopped moving.
That is the kind of challenge that keeps me coming back to the refuge.