Lawrence Warbler

A forgotten gem!

.

After many months of putting it off I sat down to begin that curation process we all love so much. While the process is painful for me, it always seems to uncover gems that for some reason I forget about. Here is one of those forgotten gems. Early this Spring, I was shooting with my friend Ray. Migration was in full swing and we were on the lookout for warbler species. It was a rainy day, so the conditions were a bit tough but we both had travelled a distance so we were going to make the most of it. We had heard a Yellow Warbler calling in an area so we opted to explore further. I remember trying to untangle myself from a sticker bush when I caught sight - out of the corner of my eye - a bird fly in. It was at that moment, I heard Ray yell to me, “Shoot this, shoot this.” I had been out with Ray many times - both on workshops and socially - but I never heard him get this excited before. I could hear it in his voice. While he was fixating on what I thought was a Golden-winged Warbler, he kept calling to me, in an effort to make sure I captured this moment.

 

The reality was that we had happened upon a Lawrence Warbler that had been migrating through. WOW! You see, warblers alone are considered the jewels of songbirds, but the Lawrence Warbler is one rare and beautiful bird. While they are rare in numbers their origin is just as interesting. The bird does not rise to full species level but it is a hybrid of two recognized species, the Blue-winged Warbler and the Golden-winged Warbler.

 

Ray’s experience and insight offered me a rare look at an incredible bird. Here the bird is captured singing in the rain! Love it!

 

If you get a chance, check out Ray’s work at rayhennessy.com

Done