I haven’t heard Green-tailed Towhees singing in quite a while now because the males aren’t singing on their breeding territories but occasionally I still hear them calling. Soon they will be winging their way south to spend the winter in southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. I know I will miss them when they are gone.
Green-tailed Towhee next to a gravel road – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 1250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Two days ago I was able to photograph a Green-tailed Towhee foraging next to a gravel road up in a Wasatch Mountain Canyon, getting these birds out in the open can be a challenge so I was excited that this towhee was in the clear.
When I look at this photo closely the towhee appears to have grit, not a seed, in its bill. Some seed eating birds do consume grit to aid in digestion but I can’t be positive about what was in its bill even when I blew the image up.
I should mention I wouldn’t normally have been at this high of an ISO but I had bumped it up earlier to get more shutter speed when I was photographing a juvenile Osprey and had forgotten to bump it back down. It didn’t hurt my image quality to have the ISO that high though.
Green-tailed Towhee foraging near a road – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 1250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This Green-tailed Towhee foraged along the gravel road long enough for me to take 51 photos of it before it disappeared into the grasses at the side of the road. Some folks might not like the setting, it doesn’t bother me at all.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Green-tailed Towhee photos plus facts and information about this species.
Thank you for this charmer. Sleek and beautiful.
Cool photos ,Mia