Photographing Melodious Warblers in Charente-Maritime in France

I photographed my first melodious warblers, Hippolais polyglotta, in Charente-Maritime, France, while I was working on a wildlife photography project about migratory birds in the wetlands. It was pure chance that I took these pictures. At first, I thought that I had photographed common chiffchaffs. However, an amateur ornithologist, Serge Moulis, explained to me that they were melodious warblers. I was lucky, because that species falls within the parameters of my project.

A melodious warbler on a branch in a wetland of Charente-Maritime in France.

A Photo Project that Began 3 Years Ago
A Lucky Sighting
Difficulty Identifying the Species
A Migratory Bird
I Learned a Lot From My Error

A Photo Project that Began 3 Years Ago

For three years, I have been working on a wildlife photography project about migratory birds in the wetlands of France. The first species I photographed was the very rare aquatic warbler.

Each year, I choose three species and try to artistically photograph the birds in their natural environments. I only keep pictures that match my photographic vision.

This year, I selected the bluethroat, the streaked fantail warbler and the European goldfinch. Only three species in a year may seem like a very small goal, but wildlife photography takes a lot of time.

I often wait for hours or even days without taking a single photo. For example, when I was looking for aquatic warblers, I spent four hours a day for a week sitting in the mud in a reed bed before I took the beautiful photographs I wanted.

A Lucky Sighting

The previous year, I had explored the wetlands and found the areas where bluethroats nested. I knew that they would be back. While I was waiting in a blind near one of those areas, I was surprised to see two small yellow sparrows fly past. I did not photograph them immediately. Instead, I observed them for two days and tried to identify them and find out what they were doing.

I decided that I had seen a couple of common chiffchaffs. Their songs, their way of flying, and their habitat in the wetland all seemed to point to this species. I even consulted my ornithology books, which seemed to confirm my thoughts.

I was very pleased, even though I had not originally planned to photograph this species. Once I found the nest and observed the birds’ flight paths, I spent two days photographing them.

I thought that I was very lucky, and I was, but there was still had a surprise in store for me. What I had photographed was in fact a pair of melodious warblers.

Difficulty Identifying the Species

After I posted an article on my website where I told the story behind my photos, I received a message from an amateur ornithologist, Serge Moulis, who thought that the birds I had seen were melodious warblers.

Melodious warblers and common chiffchaffs look very similar. There are differences between the two species, but they are very subtle. Their bills are different lengths, and their legs are different colors. However, common chiffchaffs live in wetlands and melodious warblers live in dry areas. I consulted various ornithology books, but were unable to ascertain which species I had photographed. In the end, I brought the question up on an online ornithology forum, and got confirmation that I had, in fact, seen melodious warblers.

These birds got their name because they can imitate the songs of many other birds. The ones I had seen were imitating the chiffchaff’s call, which is why I misidentified them.

A melodious warbler on a branch in a wetland of Charente-Maritime in France.

A Migratory Bird

The melodious warbler is a trans-Saharan migratory sparrow that comes to France in the spring to mate. It weighs from 0.35 to 0.5 ounces. As I found out, it can mimic the songs of many other birds, including the song thrush, the blackbird, and the sparrow. I can now add the common chiffchaff to this list.

I was very lucky to photograph melodious warblers in a wetland, because they typically live in dry areas.

A melodious warbler on a branch in a wetland of Charente-Maritime in France.

I Learned a Lot From My Error

I have learned a lot from this error. Books are a great source of information, but they are not infallible. It is always best to ask an ornithologist about a doubtful case. I was also reminded that animals and birds do not always behave as I expect them to.

From now on, I will be more careful when I identify birds. However, the important thing is that I photographed a species which I did not expect to see. I hope that all my future mistakes will end this well.

Photographing Bluethroats in Charente-Maritime in France

Every year, I look forward to the months of April and May in Charente-Maritime. This is the best time to photograph bluethroats singing. The bluethroat is a type of sparrow also called the “Swedish nightingale.” Besides having melodies of its own, the bluethroat can imitate the songs of many other birds, including the chiffchaff, the great tit and the barn swallow. This sparrow has some habits which make it very interesting to wildlife photographers. Every spring for 3 years, I spent some time sitting in a blind, watching and photographing bluethroats.

A male bluethroat bird singing in a wetland of Charente-Maritime in France.

A Migratory Passerine
A Protected Species in France
A Very Attractive and Interesting Bird
The Scenes Can Be Difficult to Compose
Finally

A Migratory Passerine

The bluethroat, Luscinia svecica namnetum, is a small migratory passerine which comes to Charente-Maritime in March to breed. It lives mainly in salt meadows and salt marshes. The birds start arriving from North Africa in late March, and leave again in September.

The bluethroat is a small bird, weighing less than an ounce. However, despite its small size, it is capable of traveling up to 60 miles per day.

A Protected Species in France

In France, bluethroats are completely protected. It is illegal to trap them, remove them from their habitat, or intentionally disrupt their environment. Since their nests are built low to the ground in wet areas, it is essential to avoid walking on the breeding grounds. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging the nests. For this reason, before a photo shoot, I always spend time exploring the area and finding out where the nests are so that I can stay well away from them when taking photos. During my exploration, I am always very cautious: I study the field with my binoculars to see where the nests might be, and never wander into unfamiliar areas where I might step on one.

A Very Attractive and Interesting Bird

The male bluethroat has a large blue apron with a hint of either white or red, depending on the subspecies. He is the usual subject of photos. The female also has an apron, but it is grayish-white. Since she is less colorful and she does not sing, she is less interesting to photographers.

In ordinary times, the bluethroat is not particularly noticeable. However, when the breeding season approaches, the male begins to act in a very interesting way. He comes to the nesting area a few days early and claims a territory, sometimes several hundred square yards in extent, which he fiercely defends against competitors. During this period, he will often perch on the high branches of small shrubs and sing. His melodious serenades can last all day. Sometimes they are accompanied by a courtship routine to attract females.

Male bluethroats have an impressive repertoire of pleasant sounds. Their songs are a mixture of metallic sounds, repeated musical phrases, and imitations of other birds.

It is easiest to photograph the male when he is singing. His coloring is on full display and he is in plain sight. When the female has laid her eggs, the male stops singing. After the chicks hatch, both parents take care of the brood.

The advantage with this sparrow is that the parents raise a second brood in June. The ritual of claiming and defending a territory, along with the beautiful songs, is repeated. There is a second opportunity to take beautiful pictures.

A male bluethroat bird singing in a wetland of Charente-Maritime in France.

The Scenes Can Be Difficult to Compose

Although it's easy to photograph a bird that is sitting high up and singing, it is still difficult to create a beautiful photo. The scene must be chosen carefully: the background must be clear of obstructions and uniform in color. The branch where the bluethroat is sitting must not be broken or damaged.

The difficulty in photographing bluethroats is choosing a good background. When photographing birds, I always try to have the best possible bokeh. I leave most of the scene blurry. Only the subject is in focus. However, to achieve a beautiful blurred effect, the background must be exactly the right color. Solid green or yellow is best. When I am are fortunate enough to find a scene which meets these criteria, I take advantage of the opportunity.

The other challenge is positioning the sun correctly. In wildlife photography, there should always be a sparkle in the subject’s eye. The bluethroat is not an exception to the rule. For a photograph to be successful, there should be a flash of light in one of the bird’s eyes. I must find a position where the sun is behind me or off to one side.

Choosing an environment which will highlight the subject and placing the sun to produce that sparkle in the eye are the two main challenges that a wildlife photographer faces in creating a good photo.

Another trick I use in photographing bluethroats is to always take pictures in the morning. The light has a different quality then. The texture of the feathers is more visible and the contrasts are better. Also, the birds are more active in the morning.

Finally

The bluethroat is a beautiful bird to observe and photograph. Choosing an appropriate environment is essential for the photograph to be successful. However, the gradual disappearance of wetlands along the coast has endangered this species. Fortunately the department of Charente-Maritime has established protected areas where this beautiful sparrow can come to raise its broods in peace. Photographers must participate in this effort by respecting these areas and not disturbing the birds in order to take photographs.