Dark-eyed Junco eating rabbitbrush seeds – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I went out into the canyons of the West Desert mountains yesterday morning and although finding birds was a challenge I did come home with a few Dark-eyed Junco images that I liked. In one location there were Dark-eyed Juncos and White-crowned Sparrows feasting on rabbitbrush seeds next to the road and a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets were foraging for insects at the base of the bushes.
One of the Dark-eyed Juncos that I had in my viewfinder was perched on top of a rabbitbrush with seeds and fluff in its bill that turned its head towards me. Just a few weeks ago the rabbitbrush was in bloom and their sunny yellow flowers were attracting bees and butterflies. With the arrival of autumn and cooler weather the ripened seeds of those rabbitbrushes are drawing in small, seed-eating birds.
Tip: Big clumps of rabbitbrush can attract lots of smaller birds once they have set seed.
Dark-eyed Junco perched in a rabbitbrush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
In this photo most of the Dark-eyed Junco is hidden by the rabbitbrush fluff but I liked this image. This junco was watching several other birds in the area that were flitting around in nearby bushes. After I took this image the junco flew off. I’ve made a mental note to go back to this location to watch for birds the next time I wander out into the West Desert.
Life is good.
Mia
Easy to see how well named Rabbitbrush is…a small seedeaters’ banquet….
Love the feast that the rabbitbush provides. And your stunning captures.
I like the way he is looking over the rabbit brush. in my yard the last couple of days, I have one of the most beautiful juncos I have ever seen. It’s colors are intense. Black head, white chest, pink sides and dark slate grey wings and tail. I have been trying to get a photo but he stays in the brush too far.
This is so great — especially the 2nd image, showing how the bird can blend in. How many of us never thought how important these millions of really small seeds are for birds? I now grow as much goldenrod as possible — for the birds and the bees!