Good morning!
Eastern Kingbird
Category Archives: Perching Birds
Blue on Blue
Blue Grosbeak against the blue sky, watching for bugs.
Grackle and a Menacing Sky
A storm seemed imminent with darkening clouds and some distant thunder so I was headed back to my car from the swamp. A number of Grackles were entertaining me along the way, including this one perched on a slowly deteriorating tree. The tree reminds me of an artwork, perhaps a wrist and hand holding up the sky.
A few more steps along and a different look to the sky and those outstretched fingers.
I had driven barely a mile down the road when the sun came out bright. I’ve learned that summer thunder/rain storms around Charleston can be very localized and nothing to mess with.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Often the little birds are all tucked in at the end of the day but this little fellow was hunting for snacks just before the sun dipped below the tree line.
He checked a variety of spots along a hedge.
I didn’t see him catch anything.
Eastern Kingbird
Since I walked this path a month ago the water has been drained out of the pond behind this Eastern Eastern Kingbird.
Dragonflies were hovering over the mostly dry pond bed and the Kingbird was taking advantage. He had a nice snack of what looked like an Eastern Pondhawk between these two images. Unfortunately swaying reeds on the bank ruined all images of that!
A chick joined the adult calling to be fed. The adult didn’t seem impressed and soon they swooped off together. Time for the juvenile to catch his own lunch.
Grackle Feeding Chick
I was busy watching a Green Heron when I realized there was a commotion going on in a nearby tree top.
The juvenile Grackle was calling out his hunger in a big way.
After delivering a good size insect the chick continued to call for more.
The adult was not persuaded to go after another round of food and stayed put, listening to the chatter.
Eastern Kingbird
The Eastern Kingbird is a perky flycatcher known for being tyrannical. These two entertained me as they called and flitted along a tree line running between two ponds.
There may have been a third one, it was hard to tell the way they were moving around.
At least this one was behaving like a juvenile waiting for food to be brought.
He made a few forays out over the water after bugs but I’m not sure he caught any before getting safely back to his perch.
Female Painted Bunting
The female Painted Bunting is drab when compared to the multicolored male, but seen on her own is quite a pretty, in shades of green and brown.
This female flitted increasingly further from me in her quest for a snack.
Male Summer Tanager
Yesterday I spent some time in a quiet corner of Magnolia Plantation where pine forest and marshland come together. There is a small field that is kept mowed around a few scraggly trees, perfect for a Summer Tanager to hunt for bugs.
I watched this one flit back and forth in the higher tree branches until he took a break down closer to the ground.
Grackle Bath Time
There had been a heavy rain the night before and the leftover puddles of water made a great bird bath. This Common Grackle showed off his iridescence before he jumped in.
Head first, he splashed some water around.
Grackles tend to hang out in flocks and make a lot of noise. This one was off on his own and quietly went about his bath ritual.
Splish, splash.
This wider view shows the trail and a Squirrel ignoring the bathing proceedings.
