Chris' Camera Bag

A Photo Web log by Chris Young

Above: Ruby-crowned kinglet

Waterfowl hunters are familiar with bird-banding as a way to track the movements of migratory birds. At the Adams Wildlife Sanctuary of the Illinois Audubon Society in Springfield, retired ornithologist Vern Kleen has been banding birds nearly every nice day this spring. He’ll keep going until migration slows down in mid- to late-May. I decided to try to shoot some close-up pictures of the birds being banded to give readers a perspective they rarely see. To keep the background clean, we’re using the back tinted windshield of Vern’s mini-van as a backdrop.

Female northern cardinal

Look closely at the feather patterns. It is amazing to watch how they fall across one another, especially on the ruby-crowned kinglet’s head in the top photo. More photos will be posted as migration progresses. Still up are the colorful warblers—songbirds on their way to Canada.

Brown thrasher

Eastern phoebe