Vermilion Flycatchers

Some morning shots of a vermilion flycatcher

Instead of running like I do most Saturday mornings, I decided to take a sunrise walk. And for me lately walking means birding and just maybe taking some sunrise photos.  The dawn sky was pretty, but not spectacular as it often is when we have a few clouds.

Sunrise, looking east down our street.

I walked through the still quiet 17th and 18th holes of our neighborhood golf course to the Arizona Canal that channels Salt River water to our city's supply.  There are trails along this waterway for walking, running and biking.  Just to the other side of the canal is the first hole of another golf course. I've spotted a vermilion flycatcher pair in this general area, and I wasn't disappointed this morning when they were there again.

Like in very many bird species, the female is identically shaped and sized, but is much drabber in color.  The contrast isn't subtle like a woodpecker's  but is dramatic like a cardinal's.  In the case of the vermilion flycatcher the male's features are brilliant scarlet red with orange tones while the female's are mostly gray with a bit of buff color.   I was able to quickly spot the male. He's a small bird - maybe robin-size - but even under clouds his color let's you easily identify him. 

First shot of the male vermilion flycatcher. 

Female with duller colors - my only shot

I think I had some luck photographing  this same male two weeks ago during sunset's 'golden hour' - when sunlight is redder and softer - and enjoyed the contrast in his colors, ranging from deep scarlets to bright oranges.   But it seemed like the clouds were going to keep the sunrise rather dusky.

Early shot - he looks mostly red.

I wandered maybe 150 feet along the border between the canal's paths and the golf course, observing some hummingbirds in fairy duster bushes and several early golfers teeing off.  It was then that I realized there were actually two male flycatchers in the area.  Even with less than ideal light, this gave me two possible subjects for my perfect shot.  So I had a couple worthy targets while I waited for the sun to get higher or for the clouds to break.

Even though cloudy, a little later with better light, you can start to see a contrast between his head's red and breast's orange.

Looking the other way. He was chattering to his mate or the other male quite frequently.

The flycatchers regularly dove and fluttered from their tree's perch - usually a mesquite, sweet acacia or pine - catching invisible-to-us insects over the greens.  They then returned to the same branch or at least one near-by.  Sometimes it seemed like they coordinated these acrobatics in some dance with each other.  When the males did it, maybe they were defending territory?  When the male and female did it, maybe they were courting?  In any case, photographing the act is too difficult for me at this point in the game.

After maybe forty minutes, the sun did come out, but the vermilion flycatchers  disappeared as if on queue.  Oh well, there's always next time.  I decided to head back, but then the chirps of a couple hummingbirds and the buzz of many bees in the fairy duster bush caught my attention.  I have a lot of fun photographing and studying the hummers at my backyard sugar water feeder, but it's always a treat to see them around native plants.  And by this time the light was clear and crisp, so I put the camera on fast mode - a very high shutter speed with continuous shots - and clicked away at a female Anna's in the bush.

Female Anna's hummingbird and fairy duster bloom. 

I wasn't overly excited about shooting this critter - it was a drab female versus the brilliant magenta male and I have a lot of photos from my backyard already.  But I realized after a number of shots that there was something unique about this girl, at least for me - she was spreading her tail feathers quite broadly.  I don't think I have good pictures of this act yet. I don't know its significance, say for courting or navigating, but it's a very pretty sight.

Anna's with her spread tail feathers.

One more Anna's in the fairy duster, probably a juvenile male. You can see a hint of his immature magenta head and gorget feathers.

I was ready to finally head back home for Saturday chores, walking in the sun along the canal, when I spotted one of the male vermilion flycatchers alone in a grove of very tall pine trees.  Fortunately for me, he was on a low branch - surely the turf is where the best flies are.  I couldn't have asked for better light and cooperation from this little guy.  I snapped away, enjoying his brilliance and personality.  Later looking at the pictures, his reds seemed a bit more orange, his oranges more yellow and his grays kind of brown.  Light and nature never cease to amaze me.

My favorite shot. 

Not my best shot, but I like his Bart Simpson hair.

My last shot, for now. I'll be back.