I’ve never posted images of a Plumbeous Vireo on my blog before and this bird is yet another species I owe to my time at the “porcupine bush”.
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I photographed the little skulker three days ago but “he” wouldn’t come out to play. He was searching for a meal in a thicket of twigs and branches and I just couldn’t get a clean look at the bird. That broad, bright eye ring with the dark loral streak from the eye to the base of the bill is pretty distinctive of three closely related vireo species (Plumbeous, Cassin’s and Blue-headed) and we get a good look at both in this view.
I didn’t know it at the time but I believe he’s already spotted his next meal.
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
He leaned far over and poked his beak around in and near the bark of the tree and came up with…
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 1600, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
a succulent moth which he quickly devoured.
The images lack aesthetics but I enjoyed the brief look at interesting behavior and I wanted to make today’s post a short one anyway. I’m exhausted after yesterday’s lengthy blog post and the effort it took to get all those photos and compose the post and then the rest of the day was truly a day from hell caused by, of all things, a refrigerator repairman.
I’ll spare you the details but if I weren’t a dedicated pacifist by nature there might be a story to tell…
Ron
I love the little spray of feathers that come up from the side and go over the wings. Such a sweet little bird.
Sorry about the repair issues. A good “appliance guy (or gal)” is worth their weight in platinum! 🙂
Thanks, Marty. I hope you didn’t have another “14 hour day”. I remember those days and not with fondness…
Nope, only 11-1/2 today. Woo Hoo! 😉
Ron, a cute little bird with “eyeglasses” [as described in other writings].
What I want to know is how that chocolate donut and coffee went down the hatch… Glad the stench from the porcupine is about gone.
Thank you for the photos, Ron
The donut always go down just fine, Alice. I have milk with it, not coffee. I drown myself with coffee before I eat the donut!
Lament all you want about images that “lack aesthetics” but the first and last ones are about as good as they get…in my humble opinion.
I appreciate that, James.
LOVE this little charmer.
Hiss and spit at the tradie. And the chronic pain. My mostly pacifist self wishes chronic (and incurable haemorrhoids on those people. Not life threatening but undignfied and uncomfortable.
Thanks, EC. Hope your wish comes true…
I’m thinking more of a fissure vs. a hemorrhoid — a fissure requires surgery and all that goes with it! *evil laugh* 😉
No fissure. Nothing that surgery (or anything) can fix. And an evil laugh from my evil self.
Oh how splendid! And yet another little goober I doubt I’ve ever seen, despite I’m certain there have been numerous opportunities. My failure to connect the dot again 😉
I’ll see your refrigerator repairman and raise you a computer geek! I’m truly a non-violent person, but given that I still don’t have the files from my dead laptop (my entire life) after paying vast quantities of money, the limits of my non violence have certainly been tested recently. Thankfully, my dogs and birds keep me focused, but the now-chronic pain has me teetering on the brink of civility and violence anyway. There are those that would say we’re building character!! DARGH! And FIE on them!
Maybe your repair guy is related to mine, Laura. Hope that pain goes away soon. I understand the agony of it all at least on some level…
Laura, wishing you some pain relief and a computer geek that knows what they’re doing!
Please give the doggies some belly rubbins from me. And Jack and Mariah too (or whatever the raptor equivalent is).
We had a run-in with an internet installer on Wednesday. I’m still fuming when I think about it. This little guy is really darling. I love the light dusting of yellow on his wings.
Thanks, Arwen. My experience with the fridge guy apparently still isn’t over. See my reply to Judy, below.
Wonderful series Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
Beautiful shots of yet another bird I doubt I’ll ever see (or would recognize when I did see it). I’m fascinated by the way the body feathers fan up over the wing. And when I look closely at the first shot, it would seem that this bird has a hook on the end of its bill the way Shrikes do.
I didn’t know the ID when I first saw it in my viewfinder, Susan. With that eye ring and dark loral streak I’m sure I’ll recognize one instantly next time though.
Yes, the bill has a hook.
I love that upward turned nest of belly feathers. I love these photographs—I think a clean background can be overrated when we’re talking tiny birds in their natural setting.
I noticed those feathers too, Mary. It reminded me of a female human hair style some years ago – a particular actress especially but I can’t remember who it was.
Great shots of another really, really hard bird to get pics of.. Of course, at some point, you have to tell us the repairman story. Thank you
Thanks, Steve. See my reply to Judy below…
I have enjoyed the wide variety of LBJ’s in your recent posts that I have not seen or noticed before. It was an amazing service berry bush. Rest up and feel well!
It sure was a productive bush, April. That gawdawful porcupine stink the first few days turned out to be worth it.
Beautiful, subtly colored little bird! 🙂 Appears it might have a slight “hook” at the tip of it’s upper bill? Always something with appliances and other things……… Hope you’re recouping and, perhaps, will share the story for us…….
Yes, it does have a hook, Judy.
I may share the story when it’s all over. Got home from shooting this morning and the fridge still isn’t fixed!!!
Lovely little vireo and you have captured its identifying details beautifully. The natural setting in the bush is a perfect frame. And a wonderful coup for you, the bird’s successfully snatching a moth. Isn’t it more of a challenge to photograph songbirds? (I hope you share the refrigerator repairman story with us when you are rested) Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your photography and this blog!
“Isn’t it more of a challenge to photograph songbirds?”
In some ways yes, in other ways no, Melanie. Songbirds are tougher to follow with the lens and to catch out in the open but raptors are more difficult to find and approach closely enough. Each has its challenges. Thank you.
Lovely pictures even if they are not perfect. And it’s great just to see this little bird – another that I have never had the pleasure of meeting personally! Thanks.
Thank you, Joanne.
Well they may lack ‘aesthetics’ for some but I really like these photos. The ‘wooden framing’ around the bird…totally unique! I have not ever seen this bird but what a sweetie, especially those facial features. 😍
Kathy, I don’t recall ever seeing them until my time at this bush over the last several weeks. They’re sure hard to get nice photos of though.