Another “feathers and fur” post.
Lazuli Buntings are always high on my list of potential photo subjects but I find them difficult to approach until they transition to a diet that includes more ripening grass seeds – then they tend to stick around their food source, even with me fairly close. Yesterday morning I had better luck with them than I’ve had for a good long time. I didn’t get any great shots of them but I think I got a few pretty decent ones. Besides, the beautifully colored males can make me overlook some shortcomings in my photos.
This male bunting and a female, possibly his mate, came in reasonably close to me to forage for seeds in the ripening grasses below me. Due to molt and feather wear he’s beginning to look just a little rough around the edges but he’s still beautiful.
More often than not both birds were hidden or partially hidden in the vegetation. I took an entire series of photos while the male was perched here but the breeze kept blowing grass stems in front of him so this is the least obstructed shot I managed to get.
A different crop of the same photo reveals what attracted them to this spot – ripening grass seeds.
Here the male has a grass seed in his bill. While on this very convenient perch all he had to do was reach back with his head and bill and pluck a seed out of the seed head curled over his back and he did so repeatedly. The table was set and breakfast served.
Both birds would sometimes spend as long as five minutes or so feeding on the same seed head. It was frustrating for me because I rarely if ever had clear shots of them. But I sure had fun trying.
The only time I got clear shots of the female was when she was much further away. In case you’re wondering, yes this was a very difficult exposure because of the brightly-lit bird and the very dark background.
Later in the morning at a different place in the valley I got a few shots of another male as he was singing on a leaning willow branch.
OK, lets transition from feathers to fur.
Blog followers will remember that ten days ago I got photos of a mink, the first mink I’ve been able to photograph in 12 years. There were actually four minks in the same family group but I only got decent photos of one of them.
Yesterday morning I saw the mink family once again and this time there were five of them! They weren’t very close and for some reason I was having trouble getting sharp shots but this photo looks reasonably good. Here the mink is using an old tree root sticking out of the mud as a stepping stone just before ‘he’ plunged into the water below.
Later that morning in an area miles away from this one I was blown away when I surprised another mink (and myself) that was only about 10′ from me. It was a completely unexpected encounter that I wasn’t prepared for so needless to say I didn’t get any photos before it did what mink do and disappeared.
I’ve been photographing birds, wildlife and nature in this valley for years and never got photos of a mink there until 10 days ago. My recent experiences with them suggest to me that minks may be one of the few species that are adapting to all the current, rapid and negative environmental changes occurring all around us.
Or maybe not. Nature is complicated.
Ron
PS – For the last two days WordPress has been on a nonsensical rampage and adding a “+” between the first and last names of some of my readers when they comment. It’s also requiring some long-time commenters to have their comment approved by me before it will post. I’ll try to get to the bottom of it.
I never knew mink were swimmers!
Very nice. I have only seen a mink once in the wild, Farmington Bay. Everyone tried to tell me it was a musk rat, mink do not live in the area. It was not shaped like a musk rat,It was a mink. you are the only person I know who has seen one at Farmington also.
April, I have the photo, and had the dented car, to back up your claim. I saw mine at the “owl bridge” – is that where you saw yours?
I saw it along the rocks and swimming along the shore of the pond below the road where the road makes the first turn west.
Even a little scruffy, the buntings are gorgeous. And the female colors are so delicate — you did a great job with that high-DOD shot!
Plus, the antics of minks! A full, rich day. 🙂
Thanks, Marty. I think the female buntings are quite attractive, even though much more subtle.
Just beautiful.
And while I was fuming about people wearing mink (the first owner died in this jacket sort of thoughts’ it occurred to me that without doubt the gorgeous buntings were also adornment for the hats of vain women. Hiss and spit.
How I love seeing these beautiful adornments where they belong.
Loved your last sentence, EC.
Gorgeous, gorgeous colours.
Thanks, Pat.
A tasty breakfast with the Lazuli Buntings this morning (though I’m not eating grass seeds). Always enjoy the “feathers and fur” mix of photographs, glad you’re seeing these less frequently captured subjects.
“though I’m not eating grass seeds”
Chris, you would be if you were eating one of many kinds of hot cereals (and many other breakfast foods). In the fall when things hopefully cool off a little maybe you should join some of your birds for breakfast…
What a fantastic series Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
Sighting and getting photos of Lazuli Buntings and Minks in one morning. Wow. Thanks for sharing.
Yup, pretty good morning if you ask me.
Bucket list birds!!! Loved these photos!
Thanks, Kellie. Lazuli Buntings are fully deserving of anyone’s bucket list.
Once again my heart is happy to see mink out and about. The Lazuli photos are lovely.
Have a good day,
Kaye
Thank you, Kaye.
These male Lazuli Bunting photos sure are special. The colors are beautiful. I think #1 is my favorite of this series.
Curious about the minks. Are they still trapped or are they protected?
Everett, mink trapping is still allowed in many states, including Utah. Don’t even get me going on that one…
What a lovely bird. The curl in the grass in your 3rd photo could supply a skilled painter to make a very appealing picture.
There have been reports in the last few years of a great uptck in mink sightings in parts of Colorado.
Interesting, Nancy. I didn’t know about that mink development in CO.
Beautiful little birds…… 🙂 Haven’t seen any here in years. I’ll take those shots scrufty or not! Interesting that you’re all of a sudden seeing the mink. They are also beautiful even if a bit on the vicious side…… 😉
Neon red sun this morning and hot into next week at least.
Judy, for the last few days we’ve been in a ‘bubble’ where most of the smoke is going up (towards you) and around us before coming back down. I’m not looking forward to when that changes and it inevitably will.
Gorgeous photos. What a beautiful day you had yesterday – getting to see these wonderful creatures.
Thank you, Joanne.
Your post this morning fills me with such pleasure ! Male Lazuli Buntings are
my favorites, simply for their gorgeous coloring, and your speculation that minks might be a species managing to adapt–maybe even thrive– in this
climactic mayhem gives me a little hope…..especially liked the shot of the Bunting being “embraced” by his breakfast table !
Thank you, Kris. I hope I’m not being unduly optimistic about the mink. It’s possible that they’re moving into this area simply because other water sources have completely dried up in the drought. I’m afraid the small stream in this area won’t be far behind.
Beautiful, all of them – Lazuli Bunting a favorite as well as mink. Don’t feel bad about seeing Mink, I believe I have seen Mink twice in my 85 years! That is a long time.
Thanks, Dick. I’ll always be delighted to see mink. Getting photos of them is a bonus.
Totally agree Dick, all beautiful photos.