This Prothonotary Warbler feeding moment came together fast. I had just watched the same bird take a dragonfly, then it moved to a nearby tree and found something smaller.
This time, the bird pulled a tiny caterpillar from a leaf.
Prothonotary Warbler Feeding at Sally Jones Causeway
I photographed this Prothonotary Warbler at the Sally Jones Causeway, inside Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. The photo was made on May 23, 2023, at 7:57 A.M.
The bird stood out in the green cover. Its bright yellow body made it easy to follow, even among the leaves and branches.
A short time before this photo, I had watched it with a dragonfly. I shared that earlier moment in A Prothonotary Warbler Eating A Dragonfly.
After that, the warbler flew to a nearby tree. It worked through the foliage and plucked a small caterpillar from a leaf. I caught the moment with the caterpillar held in its bill.
Prothonotary Warblers are often found around wooded wetlands, swamps, marshes, and bottomland areas near water. That fit the setting at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.
Photographing a Warbler With a Caterpillar in Morning Cover
The scene was tight and leafy, so I kept the frame centered on the bird’s head and bill. The caterpillar adds the story. Without it, the photo would still show a beautiful bird, but not the behavior.
The morning timing helped. The bird’s yellow plumage stood out against the green leaves, while the branches gave the scene a natural frame.
Camera Settings:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500 mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- Aperture: f8
- Shutter speed: 1/800
- ISO: 2000, Auto
- Exposure compensation: +0.7
- Focal length: 500 mm
- Location: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
- Date and time: May 23, 2023, 7:57 A.M.
I like photos that show more than a perched bird. This one shows a quick feeding moment in the middle of thick cover.
The caterpillar is small, but it tells the story. It shows how much happens in a few seconds when a bird is working through leaves for food.
Moments like this are why I keep watching after the first photo. Sometimes the next frame shows the better story.