Seven species of birds and the almost obligatory butterfly this time of year.
Occasionally I post a small collection of recent photos that didn’t quite make the grade for a standalone post but I think still deserve to be seen. Collectively they give the viewer a sense of the types of birds I’ve been seeing. And not seeing. Because of the drought and extreme heat I haven’t been visiting some of my usual birding haunts so I don’t have as much species variety as I typically would.
Each of the following photos was taken in the last three weeks.
A Gray Catbird just prior to takeoff.
A female Lazuli Bunting exploring the emergent vegetation coming out of the mud next to a stream.
I’m not sure what she was doing down there. While she was in the area she spent most of her time picking seeds out of grass heads that were hanging directly over where she was in this photo. Perhaps she was foraging for grass seeds that had fallen out of the seed heads.
Notice the subtle blues on her rump and tail. Nowhere near as flashy as her male counterpart but still attractive.
My first Rufous Hummingbird of the year.
A juvenile Belted Kingfisher.
This was the first time I saw one of the youngsters of the adult male I’ve photographed often this spring and early summer. I’ve seen and photographed several of them since.
A Turkey Vulture in an aspen tree.
This bird and several other vultures had been scavenging road kill on a dirt/gravel road in the mountains and flew off when I drove around a curve. I rarely see vultures in aspens but it does happen occasionally.
A Willow Flycatcher.
I think of this bird as “Old Poophead” ever since I zoomed in tightly on the high resolution version of the image and confirmed that the white streak on his head is bird poop. The indignity of it all…
A Cedar Waxwing being annoyed by a bee. Yes, I wish the bee was sharper.
A fritillary butterfly on a thistle flower. I don’t know the actual species of the butterfly.
I rarely (as in almost never) make any color adjustments on my photos but I did on this one. The colors of both butterfly and flower were so intense as they came out of the camera I toned them down a little (desaturated them) during processing. Now they’re easier on my eye.
Our weather forecast suggests that we’ll have monsoon moisture coming up from the south for this entire week and possibly longer. For us that usually means clouds and the distinct possibility of dry lightning with most or all of the moisture evaporating before it hits the ground (virga). With cloudy weather the outlook for bird photography is grim but I’ll be satisfied, or at least relieved, if we get through this spell without any lightning-caused fires.
Parts of New Mexico and other points south have been getting good moisture out of these monsoons so maybe we’ll get lucky.
Ron
That wonderful series cemented my conviction that youbare NUTS!!!
Pictures are great. I have never seen that species of Butterfly. Thanks for sharing.
Betty, I see them fairy often in the mountains.
Thank you for sharing this lovely wingedpourri post. I’m always happy to see a TV — this one looks so out of place in that Aspen. 😂
Thanks, Marty. That’s part of the reason I decided to include that vulture shot. Vultures and Aspen aren’t an everyday combination, at least in photos.
A truly delightful pot pourri. Megathanks.
Lightening induced fires? I hope not. I really, really hope not.
And my heart aches for the hail damage in Montana (which I meant to say yesterday and didn’t).
EC, you may remember that several years ago over half of Antelope Island was burned by a lightning-caused fire. Those kinds of fires are always a threat around here in the summer.
Many of the fires which caused incredible damage here a few years ago were started by lightening strikes. Others were set deliberately or caused by human stupidity and negligence.
Every one of these images is delightful! I can’t even pick a favorite (glad it’s not a requirement), every one has something to draw you in. But I am partial to that wonderful shot of the Turkey Vulture in the aspen, and the little hummer (from one size extreme to the other!).
The butterfly on thistle is spectacular—I’m very fond of fritillaries, having raised and released quite a few Gulf Frits in the last couple of years. Pam’s Atlantis ID looks right to me, if only because of the very decorative wings. Sorry to say this has been a disappointing year for both Gulfs and Monarchs here.
Thank you, Chris. Additional thanks for helping to confirm the butterfly ID.
Love the potpourri blogs! And also love when you make me look up a word “fritillary.” Here in N AZ we are getting rain each afternoon which is so welcome. We’ve already has several lightening caused wildfires this year. Wishing you some much needed rain 🙂
Thanks for the good wishes, Kathleen. And for appreciating my avian (mostly) potpourri.
We have been getting some rain here in the ABQ area. I will hope for you to get some as well.
Fingers crossed, Arwen. But I’m not optimistic.
Theses pictures are lovely! I haven’t been able to get out much due to knee replacement but love to see what others are seeing and photographing so beautifully!
Beth, I have a very good friend who had a recent knee replacement so I have a pretty good idea of what you’re going through. Thankfully my friend has a wonderful service dog that has been very helpful to her.
Such wonderful variety this morning– I’m not even able to imagine a greater
saturation of the colors in the thistle/fritillary shot– they look mighty intense
as you present them. In my experience, some colors become almost
glowing under an overcast sky– but the butterfly is casting a fairly strong
shadow on the thistle, so that’s probably not the case here…….oftentimes, I think it would be very interesting to be a quiet
a mouse in your shirt pocket when you’re out shooting !
Kris, it was sunny when I took that butterfly photo.
And you can be a mouse in my pocket any ol’ time.
Hi Ron, Just sending thoughts for a healing earth, the recent specific info nationally on how bad it really is in Salt Lake (and I am assuming Bear River). We certainly have fires in Oregon and destroyed habitat, but the migratory birds everywhere will in a sorry state. Sigh.
Yes, we’re in a world of hurt, Barb. Thanks for the kind thoughts. I’m guessing you may have seen the recent CNN story on the disappearing Great Salt Lake. And yes, Bear River MBR is in a very similar situation.
yes, thats why im writing , i have photod numerous times in bear river and antelope
Despite the heat restrictions, you have presented a very attractive selection. When you post multiple species, it seems like most of them are rare or don’t occur here, but in this case I have seen all but the Willow Flycatcher recently. I have seen Fritillaria species, as well. I would add another advantage of your extreme telephoto: when I get within 10 to 30 feet of a Butterly, i.e., close enough to ID, it’s off and fluttering
Lyle, I’ve often said that one of the advantages of shooting from my pickup is that birds are less afraid of a vehicle than they are of a person on foot. I believe that principle also applies to some insects like butterflies. Maybe to a slightly lesser degree but it still applies.
Very nice series. The female Bunting will appreciate the recognition since they are generally ignored compared to their colorful mates. Like the Vulture in the Aspen. I have not seen a Rufous yet although they have been here for a while.
Here in Prescott we are getting rain almost every day now including a couple monsoon hail storms. Watching the large hail stones coming down with such force I was definitely concerned for the birds. This hail dented many neighbors cars that were caught outside.
Ps: Had to look up fritillary, but a beautiful photo.
Everett, thankfully we haven’t had any hail. Yet. But recently a terrible hailstorm completely wiped out the crops on our Montana family farm. Apparently they won’t be harvesting a single kernel of grain this year.
The turkey vulture is a young one because it has so much black on its head. I believe the butterfly is a female Atlantis Fritiliary since its eyes look blue-grey.
Thanks for the tip on the butterfly ID, Pam. I’ll check it out.
Lovely collection! 🙂 Would probably not realize the female was a Lazuli Bunting without looking closely! Vulture in the Aspen is great – doesn’t look like a good perch for them…. 😉 The butterfly and thistle IS bright. A reminder to get the hummer feeder up “just in case” we get a couple heading S.
Smoke and heat as usual of late – “may” get some thunder bumpers over the next few days with a “slight” chance of precip. Holding my breath with all the fires and dry vegetation around..
Thanks, Judy. I have to look pretty carefully at female Lazuli Buntings to recognize them too, especially at a distance.
Lovely bunch o’ pictures today! I especially like the turkey vulture and the butterfly! A coffee and your blog is a nice way to start the day – thanks.
A coffee and my blog is exactly what I have in front of me at the moment, Joanne. What would we do without our coffee…
I love em all especially the Fritillary. Looks like a female, but not sure of the species myself. Any chance learning the name of the flower?
What kind of a thistle?
Dick, I think it’s Musk Thistle.
Dick, if you don’t know what kind of fritillary it is I don’t feel bad for not knowing it myself. I know that you know butterflies quite well.
Thank you Ron, but in all honesty I know my Eastern Butterflies, I have to use a field guide for the Western ones. Western Butterflies not my strong suit.