Point Pelee Black-Throated Blue Warbler

The first Christopher Dodds X Sony of Canada photo walk at Point Pelee National Park was a massive success with a great group of keen photographers. Birding started a bit slow in the fog, but thankfully, the rain held off, and we had a busy afternoon with some fantastic birds. We saw many Black-throated Blue Warblers among the mix, and while they were pretty active, they did settle down and pose for pictures occasionally.

This particular Black-throated Blue Warbler paused briefly behind some thick vegetation. I quickly shifted my position to get the right light angle, pre-visualizing the perch and the light. Sure enough, the warbler landed just as I brought my camera up to my eye. Fun fact: the Black-throated Blue Warbler has a distinctive, buzzy song that some people describe as sounding like "I am so la-zee."

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens, Paruline bleue, Reinita azulada, BTBW). From my Songbirds of Pelee Workshop on May 5, 2025, at Point Pelee National Park of Canada. Image Copyright ©Christopher Dodds. Sony a9 III Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 400-800mm f/6.3-8 G OSS Lens @710mm ISO 2,500, f/8 @ 1/5,000s. Manual exposure. Full frame image.

Black-throated Blue Warbler Point Pelee Workshop Opening

Here is a beautiful Black-Throated Blue Warbler from an incredible afternoon during my Songbirds of Pelee Workshop last May 8, 2023.

Due to a medical emergency, I suddenly have space available for my May 7-11 Songbirds of Pelee Workshop (Get well soon, Dave) that sold out last July. Join me for this epic experience at the peak of the spring songbird migration at one of the top 10 birding destinations in the world! I am a fully licenced operator in the park.

Point Pelee National Park is one of the best inland locations to observe bird migration. Its location on major migratory flyways and the north shore of Lake Erie make it a migrant trap—a place that attracts a wide diversity of species in a tiny area. More than 390 species of birds have been recorded in the Point Pelee Birding Area.

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens, Paruline bleue, BTBW) from mySONGBIRDS OF PELEE GALORE WORKSHOP Point Pelee National Park of Canada ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 1.4X Teleconverter @840mm. ISO 3,200, f/14 @ 1/400s Manual exposure. Full-frame image.