Five days ago, after spending the entire morning (6 hours) touring Montana’s Centennial Vally while looking for birds, I was starving by the time I returned to my campsite just before noon. But just before I pulled into my campsite I impulsively decided to visit a nearby row of trees (the same trees where I found the mating Chipping Sparrows I posted photos of recently) to see if I might find some interesting birds there.
1/1600, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
While I was creeping along the tree line, this Western Tanager flew right in front of my windshield and landed on a rustic fence directly in front of the trees and quite close to me. In my ravenous condition the bug in his bill looked pretty damn good to me. I thought the insect might be meant for nearby chicks but eventually he ate it himself.
That time of day the light was a little harsh and with the sun so high in the sky, most of my photos didn’t have a catch light in his eye. But this one did, I like the mottled light in the background trees and the pealing bark on the perch appeals to me. And since I don’t have opportunities with tanagers very often, this is the photo I chose to post today.
About five minutes after this photo was taken I was gobbling down my own lunch.
Ron
Very nice image. I saw many western tanagers in Idaho but they did not want their photos taken. They were high in the big old trees in the town and I so enjoyed their songs all day long. I found a few flying after insects or pausing briefly on fence lines. I almost got a photo of one gleaning insects off my friend’s lilac bush in bloom, damn camera lost focus on the eye and went for a more contrast area of the wing bars.
Ron, Another outstanding image! I love the background, the sharpness and clarity of the bird, the catchlight and the prey. I continue to enjoy reading your posts almost daily. Although my comments are few and far between, I really do admire your work and your subject knowledge. Thanks for your on-going sharing!
And I appreciate you comments just as much. Thanks, Steve.
Anybody have an idea of what kind of insect the tanager is eating?
Mary, I have some other shots that show the insect better that I might post down the road.
He is gorgeous – though his prey doesn’t tempt me, despite the fact that I have swallowed more than one insect in my time.
It doesn’t tempt me either, EC. But then I just ate lunch.
Excellent shot!
Thanks, Charlotte.
NICE! (and beautiful 😉 ) Great setting and background to show off the wonderful colors. 🙂
Thank you, Judy.
Beautiful seems to be everyone’s response, including mine. Everything works — the subject, composition, color, sharpness. Great photo.
Good. Thanks, Kent.
Nice photo.
Now I’m hungry.
Thanks, Michael.
Have some Trader Joe’s mac and cheese. That’s what I had for lunch that day (thanks to my neighbor and friend Angela). Hit the spot.
Beautiful
Thanks, Jim.
Beautiful shot of a beautiful bird. Always like to see these Tanagers when they show up here. I’m laughing at the term prey when used to describe an insect. Of course the bug is prey, but I more think of prey as a deer being chased by a mountain lion, or a bunny running as fast as possible to escape a Red-tail, but of course anything including a bug is indeed prey.
Another one of our so many English words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings.
Sounds like you are having fun and enjoying your camping adventure.
Everett, I thought about whether I should use the word prey or not, but it fits so it works.
Actually, I got home from my camping trip on Friday.
Beautiful. I like the texture of the bark the color, too. I was lucky enough to see a Tanager last week.
Take Care,
Kaye
Good for you, Kaye. Thanks.
Your settings and lens details are very useful in this image. Maybe I’m getting used to your early morning treks, today it’s lunch time and those details remain meaningful. I agree, the mottled colored background does bring a lot of interest into the less colorful featured branch that is yet attention getting with its weathered worn bark. Texture and patterns more noticeable in this image, is it the more harsh light grabbing the edges and curves of these elements?
Deb, typically a low light angle exaggerates shadows and makes textures more noticeable. The opposite is true with the sun high in the sky.