This morning’s delights
I am working hard on getting my May photos organized to share with you - it was a very busy month with the birds for me! :). So I thought that tonight I would share my encounters with you from this morning. Overall it was a much quieter morning than they have been recently so it gave me time to get these together for you. This will be short and hopefully sweet.
This morning I went to Bullitt - beautiful morning - slight breeze and 58 degrees. It was extremely quiet during my first loop around the trails in the fields and woods. It never ceases to amaze me on quiet mornings that the woods and fields are filled with birds - and I just can’t spot them no matter how bright and brilliant so many of them are!
On my second loop around a flash caught the corner of my eye to my right. Just up and above my right shoulder was this adorable Tufted Titmouse getting breakfast.
He stayed in that frozen position above until he did this! :). Well, good morning to you, too!
He then moved his head a little more in order to get a full on view of me - as if he was saying - here’s looking at you!
He then flew off and I kept on going along the trail. There is a spot along the trail that my Merlin app has been consistently detecting a Magnolia Warbler. I have tried and tried to spot it with absolutely no luck - I have heard it several times on many mornings over the last couple of weeks.. It has a beautiful song and it always sounds very close. Sure enough I got to that spot today -heard the beautiful song and confirmed with my Merlin app - yup, Magnolia Warbler! I set up and kept scanning high and low. I finally saw the tug a branch way up in a tree - bingo! Magnolia Warbler!
Once I came out of the woods after the second loop I decided to call it quits earlier than usual. As I made my way down the path I stopped at a spot that I always set up at. I set up and waited… and then out of nowhere these two gorgeous Common Yellow Throats came flying in right in front of me! The male is on your left and the female on the right.
I would so love to know what they were saying to each other…. :)
As soon as I took the shot above a bright yellow flash of yellow flew right by me to my right. A stunning male American Goldfinch.
Then to my left a sweet Phoebe landed… Honestly, this is how it goes so often. I can spend the longest time with little to no action and then all of sudden everyone is showing up!
As I walked back to the car I decided to spend a little time behind the barn looking out towards the field before I called it quits. No sooner had I set up my camera when a Pileated Woodpecker came flying from behind me - flew left and then decided to make a quick turn and come back around to the right! I have been taunted by Pileated woodpeckers - I have been seeing them in the woods way in the distance with no chance of a shot… I have spent countless hours in this particular spot and have never seen a Pileated fly through like he did - what an absolute thrill! And no branches in front of him… It took everything I had to track him to get this one shot before he was gone -
The last shot from this morning…