This area on the banks of Oologah Lake is typical of the oak-hickory forests in this region. Along these trails during spring migration (May 1 to 15) some of the rarest warblers in Oklahoma have been seen: Golden-winged, Swainson’s, Black-throated Blue, Connecticut, Cerulean, and Worm-eating. Warblers seen there regularly throughout most of the migration are Tennessee, Kentucky, Wilson’s, Nashville, Black-and-white, Yellow-breasted Chat, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow, and Orange-crowned. Less frequently seen are Redstart, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, and Ovenbird.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Canon 60D, Canon 70-300mm IS USM Zoom @ 70mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 2000. Processed in ACR and PSE 2020 for exposure and cropping.
Looks like a wonderful place to wander, Terry. Love how the trail leads through the scene. I’ll be looking foreword to seeing photos of some of these warblers later this spring. Nicely done.
Oh how the birdsong must be wonderful when you go here. Hope to see some of those little beauties.
I love a good trail shot, but unfortunately the OOF left side isn’t doing you any favors here. The way the trail curves out of sight is nice and so is the light, but I wish for more through-line in the closer part of the image. The colors seem a little stark as well, but that’s a taste thing. For me the richness of the forest is also about color. In future you could find a bit of trail that has a clearer opening, or get lower down to avoid distracting elements close to the camera.
Thanks @linda_mellor I think it’s going to require more than a bit of luck to find and photograph warblers in all these acres of dense forest, but I’m gonna try next spring! I already have a spot reserved for five days in the adjacent campground for early May next year. If I photograph no birds, it won’t be for lack of trying!
Thanks @Kris_Smith. I’m not much of a landscape photographer, but having nothing but that zoom lens with me sure didn’t help me here.
Terry, the arc of the trail, the details in the tree trunks and the green leaves look very inviting. The oof sticks on the left feel like I’m about to get poked in the eye, a couple of steps forward might eliminate them, making the visual entry easier.
Terry, it looks like a great place - and throwing down the gauntlet to yourself for the Spring in public like this is a fine way to start the year! But I do miss your banjo.
