How Blue Do You Need To Be?
Who needs orioles when you have indigo buntings?
So, I had a little time this morning before I buckled down and started packing for the Detroit Lakes Festival, (I'm heading out tomorrow morning). I thought I might head down to Wood Lake Nature Center and maybe to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and attempt for some oriole photos since I didn't have much luck last Saturday.
Orioles were just not in the cards again today. When I got to Wood Lake--which literally had warblers dripping from the tree branches, there was just too much construction going on. It's already noisy there since it's bordered by a major interstate, but today there was lawn mowing and construction and all the sound was giving me a headache.
So I went to the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, though also noisy since it's next to the airport and right on an interstate as well--but no lawn mowing and a male indigo bunting was singing like there was no tomorrow.
If you haven't figured it out yet, I ended up taking about 113 photos of him instead. I'm kinda hoping that my bad luck with orioles continues this spring--up until today I didn't have any terrific indigo bunting photos like these.
The male bunting was making the rounds on his territory, alternating his singing stations in some shrubs in front of me, a lone tall tree to my left and a whole line of trees behind me. The shrubs had a small rock fence in front of it.
The male indigo bunting flew over to the shrubs and sang and then flew down to the fence. The above photo is the male singing on the fence (the wind was blowing so his nictating membrane is over his eye to protect it from dust--that's why it looks weird). He sang so long, I got tired of taking photos and then I thought to myself, "Dude, what are you doing? This is the best look at an indigo bunting you've ever had in your life! Quit taking photos and just enjoy it, ya' door knob!"
And I did for another ten minutes.
Oh, and we figured out the photo contest mix up. Both Leanne and Philip were incredibly understating--and again, thanks to all the readers who VERY KINDLY pointed out my mistake--I love you guys--you make blogging so much fun. Leanne is still getting the Singing Life of Birds book and I told Philip that I'd get him an autographed Sibley this weekend. So, it's all good.
So, I had a little time this morning before I buckled down and started packing for the Detroit Lakes Festival, (I'm heading out tomorrow morning). I thought I might head down to Wood Lake Nature Center and maybe to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and attempt for some oriole photos since I didn't have much luck last Saturday.
Orioles were just not in the cards again today. When I got to Wood Lake--which literally had warblers dripping from the tree branches, there was just too much construction going on. It's already noisy there since it's bordered by a major interstate, but today there was lawn mowing and construction and all the sound was giving me a headache.
So I went to the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, though also noisy since it's next to the airport and right on an interstate as well--but no lawn mowing and a male indigo bunting was singing like there was no tomorrow.
If you haven't figured it out yet, I ended up taking about 113 photos of him instead. I'm kinda hoping that my bad luck with orioles continues this spring--up until today I didn't have any terrific indigo bunting photos like these.
The male bunting was making the rounds on his territory, alternating his singing stations in some shrubs in front of me, a lone tall tree to my left and a whole line of trees behind me. The shrubs had a small rock fence in front of it.
The male indigo bunting flew over to the shrubs and sang and then flew down to the fence. The above photo is the male singing on the fence (the wind was blowing so his nictating membrane is over his eye to protect it from dust--that's why it looks weird). He sang so long, I got tired of taking photos and then I thought to myself, "Dude, what are you doing? This is the best look at an indigo bunting you've ever had in your life! Quit taking photos and just enjoy it, ya' door knob!"And I did for another ten minutes.
Oh, and we figured out the photo contest mix up. Both Leanne and Philip were incredibly understating--and again, thanks to all the readers who VERY KINDLY pointed out my mistake--I love you guys--you make blogging so much fun. Leanne is still getting the Singing Life of Birds book and I told Philip that I'd get him an autographed Sibley this weekend. So, it's all good.
Labels: digiscoping
posted by birdchick at 11:58 AM
11 Comments:
Hey Sharon! LOVE the photos of the bunting. He's so cute!
I have two questions.
1.) We live in an apartment in Minnetonka. We have a bird feeder and see purple and yellow finches, chickadees, sparrows, cardinals, and the like. What would be the best bird food to stock in our feeder?
2.) We heard a bird singing in our courtyard this weekend that had a distinct call we did not recognize. Can you recommend a way to identify a bird by call other than going through our "Birds of MN" bird by bird?
Thanks!
Amy Mingo
What gorgeous pictures! I especially like the fluffed up ones. It looks like he's wrapped up in a blue feather boa!
I love all of your pictures because I don't know anything about birding (but I am starting to learn from reading this blog!). But I just wanted to say that I found this little guy especially wonderful. Thanks!
p. s. I haven't searched your archives for something like this, so maybe I will do that in a bit, but do I have any chance of seeing cool birds (ie not pigeons!) when I live in the middle of a big city (SF?) I don't know how to get started - but I did see a hummingbird at my bus stop once!
Fantastic pics of the bunting. I'm so envious. However Mon. I did see my first Blue Grossbeak. We were out in the country after checking the Eagle nest. And just got lucky we were sitting in the car hoping to see an Oriole and the grossbeak flew in front of us and landed on the road in front of us. GMNikki
Awesome pics, chick! I love when he's all puffed out like that.
Those ARE terrific.
No wonder you took so many.
Ms. Bird Chick; you have no idea how much your blog helps educate this city girl! I had no idea the Oriole bird was such a lovely shade of blue! Love looking at the birds and your very haughty and noble rabbit! Namaste!
I've never seen an Indigo Bunting other than on the pages of a field guide. Thanks for this little treat.
I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the photos of the indigo bunting! I still can't believe that I took that photo. I remember being a kid and being excited just catching glimpses of them. It was one of my favorite birds for awhile.
Finding My New Normal -
If you don't have a starling problem, I would feed sunflower chips or the finch mix Thistle and Chips. That will make all seed eating birds happy and keep the area around the feeder clean. If you have starlings, just feed thistle or black oil sunflower seeds.
As for your bird call, you can try to record it an play it at store. Or upload it to the Internet and let us have a listen.
The best way to learn your bird calls is to just play the CD over and over as back ground noise. It will just sink in after a couple of weeks.
Driver B
I had one of my best birding trips in the city of San Francisco! I think the birds you will get depends on how close you are to a park or at least trees. I would start with a small tube feeder or a tray feeder with sunflower hearts--be patient and see where it goes. Be prepared for parrots.
I have to jump on the "lovin'-the-puffy" bandwagon. These are the best pictures of an indigo bunting I've ever seen. I remember the thrill of seeing my first indigo bunting near Afton State Park. Your pics brought that experience right back. I hope I don't jinx you when I say I'd love to see some oriole pics in the near future!
These photos are gorgeous!
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