And we can even see part of that elusive ruby crown.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
In this species the sexes are identical except for a single feature – males have a scarlet crown patch (the patch of this bird is less brightly colored than many) but it’s usually concealed from view unless they’re agitated. When this one exposed a small part of its patch I knew it was a male.
These birds are truly tiny and among North America’s smallest songbirds – they only weigh about .23 oz. To put their size and weight into perspective the common House Sparrow that most everyone is familiar with weighs more than four times as much at .98 oz. (weights taken from Sibley). Laying up to 12 eggs they have the largest clutch of any North American songbird for their size.
These birds are supposed to be found in much of Utah year round but I see them most often during fall migration so I’m looking forward to more opportunities with them in September and early October.
Ron
Notes:
- I’m sure many blog subscribers realized when they received the first email notification of this post last night and the link didn’t work that I’d clicked on that damn publish button prematurely again. Hate it when I do that! I may write to WordPress and tell them that the “Save Draft” and “Publish” buttons are placed too close together. Apologies for any confusion.
- This photo was taken early last October in Box Elder County.
I also got fooled by the the background in seeing the red crown patch. Congrats for capturing a really nice image of this little guy and thanks for pointing out the red patch.
Yes, it’s easy to miss with that background. Thanks, Lyle.
What a delightful (and rarely co-operative) little charmer.
Great start to my day. Thank you.
Thanks, EC.
Excellent photo of a very hard bird to photograph…I know, I’ve been trying for years. I see them in my yard,(usually during migration) but just can’t seem to get a really good photo opportunity. Frenetic behavior is almost an understatement for these little guys. Thanks once again for showing us that it can be done.
Yup, as a photographer you get it, Steve. They’re among the toughest subjects I photograph. Thank you.
I love these flitty little birds! So wonderful that you were able to capture this fella! Thanks for this beautiful photo.
Thank you, Joanne.
Wonderful shot Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
I’ve managed to get a snapshot or two of these guys, but nothing like this shot. I love how much detail we can see despite the tiny size of the bird. I was surprised to see this post come in last night, and did try the link, but figured you had hit the publish button too early… 🙂
“I love how much detail we can see despite the tiny size of the bird”
Susan, that’s EXACTLY what I like most about this shot. You hit that nail squarely on the head.
Excellent shot Ron, have a great holiday weekend!
Thanks, Dick. Actually I’m not a fan of holidays. Too many people “out there”.
Pretty little bird for sure! His “crown” sure blends into the surroundings as well as the rest of him! I got the post but with nothing there – did remember it happening before and figured “oh,oh – nimble fingers again” 😉
Yup, my nimble fingers syndrome raised it’s ugly head again. I figured many subscribers would know what probably happened right away.
Good morning Ron. Beautiful bird and photo and an interesting species especially the 12 egg cloth. Did not know that. Yes, last night right while I was on the computer your Ruby-crowned Kinglet e-mail came through. I jumped right on it thinking – hey, this is great – for the first time ever I will be the very first to respond. And as you stated above it did not work, but here at 5:58 am my time I am the 2nd to respond. Not bad. Hope you have an enjoyable holiday weekend.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott Arizona
Everett, when I click the publish button prematurely (I’ve done it twice now) it takes about 5 seconds to upload and publish. That 5 seconds can seem like an eternity because I always know what I’ve done but I also know there’s nothing I can do about it after that button is clicked. Grrrr!
Such a great photo! He blends in with his surroundings quite well; the yellow of the wings matches the yellow/green of the leaves and his crown blends with the red/brown of the changing leaf colors. But the black intense eyes with the white surround has always been the big draw for me. These are one of the most delightful little birds. Gone in a flash…actually you see them and poof…gone! I treasure my photos of them. The fact that something this light weight can migrate the great distances they do is truly a feat…the wonders of nature! ❤️
Sounds like you know this species well, Kathy. For me that white eye ring is one of their most distinctive features. That and their frenetic behavior which makes them so very difficult to photograph well. Thank you.