My monthly installments of ‘A Bestiary ~ Tales from a Wildlife Garden’ continue over at Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens with the vividly stunning Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea).
Though often secretive and hard to find, the Scarlet Tanager’s song can help lead the observer to high perches and blurred shots of his brilliance. There is more about this special songbird over at the link above. The tanager and I were in synchrony while I was finishing the forty first installment of my A Bestiary. He sang while I was writing about his absence at Flower Hill Farm over the last few years. Suddenly he was back in song that led me to the top of the black cherry tree where I was able to get the shots above to identify the Scarlet Tanager with certainty. Before that I had not seen or heard him since 2012.
tammie says
oh my goodness, such a gorgeous splash of color!
how wonderful that it’s song helped you to find him. lovely week to you Carol.
Carol Duke says
Yes, Tammie, I love hearing birds first and then looking for them. He was singing a few minutes ago before the rains came. Lovely week to you too.
Barbara Phillips Conroy says
Saw a pair on the Toronto Islands last week – a flash of colour and then they were completely hidden. So glad to see your photo.
Carol Duke says
A flash of color is most often what I see too Barbara. The song is more lasting. I have been lucky over the years to get quite a few shots which are posted over with my article on the link above to native plants and wildlife gardens site.
Andrea says
I haven’t heard of a tanager, but it is very beautiful. And that position in the first photo is so different among bird shots, you are so quick in there!
Carol Duke says
These tanagers are mostly found in the eastern parts of the United States Andrea. You will have to plan a visit to Flower Hill. I would love to have you stay. I love that first shot. It is so fluid somehow. I followed his song and found him high in a Black Cherry tree across from my barn but a bit far for my camera. The wind helped make the magic in the photo. Thank you for visiting.