Yellows, reds, greens and blacks – a color combination that appeals to me.
1/1300, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Eleven days ago on my Montana camping trip I photographed this Western Tanager on a rustic fence just over the border in Idaho. I posted a different photo of this bird with an insect in his bill last week. After that photo was taken he flew with the insect to a different part of the fence, ate the bug, cleaned his bill and then struck this pose for me.
To me, tanagers often look like they have unusually large heads and this one is no exception.
I like the dappled light on the conifers in the background, the rough texture of the perch and the turn of his head. The photo was taken late in the morning so the light was a little harsh and with the sun so high in the sky, many of my photos of him had no light in his eye. But in this shot the cock of his head provided a much-needed catch light.
Not long after this photo was taken, another insect flew straight at him and he tried to catch it in midair.
He missed the bug and almost went ass over teakettle during the attempt. But he recovered and eventually flew off at a time and in a direction of his choosing, rather than taking an inglorious tumble off the fence.
Ron
I too love those colors and with a red orange zinger! A beautiful photograph. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Catherine.
Ron, your trip back to your boyhood home sure has resulted in some wonderful moments that you captured and are kind enough to share with all of us. Thanks for these days of wonderful photos.
I’m glad you’ve been enjoying them, Kent. Thank you.
My father always described that move as going base over apex. I would not have recovered as a teenager and definitely not now.
What a glorious splash of colour. Thank you.
Your father was right but that’s the first time I’ve heard those terms in that context, EC. Seems to me that you’ve mentioned some other interesting sayings of his.
He did have a lot of idiosyncratic phrases – and given that English was his second language I remain impressed. Second complete language. He could do the essentials (eat/drink/sleep etc) in several. And could swear in all of them.
I definitely would have liked your father. 😂
I’m looking at the tanager on my iPhone and am still blown away by the shot quality! Fortunately for our feathered friend, gravity was not the victor today.
Apparently, yesterday was not a good day to be a skunk trying to cross the street near the animal shelter. Saw three poor things that didn’t make it within about 200 yds.
Thanks, Marty, In my experience, no roadkill smells worse than a skunk in hot weather, and I’m not talking about their spray. A road-killed porcupine comes close but no cigar.
If any of us had made that move over the fence we would not have recovered.
Ok, other than a possible Nat Geo photo I have never personally seen a photo of a Western Tanager this good. Excellent photography Ron.
Very much appreciated, Everett. Thank you.
Beautiful shot/bird, Ron. 🙂 Everything has it’s “klutz” moments it seems….. 😉
Yup, I certainly do – especially these days. Thanks, Judy.
Great photo. I’ll always remember the excitement and enthusiasm my students always had the first time they saw a Western Tanager in class. Even with repeated sightings throughout the class the reaction remained the same. One student said it was the bird that really changed her direction in life. She switched majors to Biology and after graduation she went on the study birds in South America as part of a PhD program at another university .
That’s a neat story, Dan. I’m sure it’s highly fulfilling to know that you played a part in her choice of life’s work. Along with tanagers.
Dan, that is such a cool story! Things like your student’s change of major warm the cockles of my teacher heart!
What a beautiful photograph!! Great “wake-you-up-in-the-morning” color!
Thank you, Joanne.
Spectacular, Ron! Simply spectacular. This one goes right into my Top 10!
Wow, top 10. I’ll take it, Diane.
Maybe that’s the risk in having a big head– pulls you “ass over teakettle”
when you throw yourself after a bug too enthusiastically…..such a beautiful
bird ! Wish I’d see one down here…….
“Maybe that’s the risk in having a big head”
A center of gravity thing. Maybe, Chris. Maybe… 🙂
Top shot is just stunning. Thanks as usual.
Thank you, Burrdoo.