Treetop Green-tailed Towhee singing – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I was delighted to observe, hear and photograph a beautiful Green-tailed Towhee singing from a treetop two days ago high in the Wasatch Mountains.
I’ve been hearing the songs of these towhees for weeks and I have even photographed a few of them. But this was the first photo of a Green-tailed Towhee I have taken this spring where the bird is completely out in the open. I admit, I danced a bit in the seat of my Jeep because I was happy.
When viewing this photo it is easy to see how this species got their common name. The greenish tail stood out well in the bright morning light. So did the bird’s rufous crown.
Green-tailed Towhees are migratory which means I don’t see them during the colder months of the year. When they are gone I miss hearing and seeing them. I celebrate when they return.
Earlier in the morning I was almost able to take a close up photo of a singing Green-tailed Towhee on top of a blooming serviceberry. When I started to focus on the bird through my viewfinder a noisy pick up rumbled by on the bumpy road at the worst time and that towhee dove for cover. It was the first vehicle to pass me for miles. I waited around for about five minutes but the towhee didn’t come back to the serviceberry to sing so I moved on because the sun was getting higher in the sky.
I will be looking for more opportunities to photograph Green-tailed Towhees while they are here for their breeding season. They enchant me.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my Green-tailed Towhee photos plus facts and information about this species.
I was sitting on the back porch at the lake with my coffee. Listening to the birds and thinking of you!
I would have been dancing in the jeep to even see (much less capture) this charmer. Thank you.
Enchanting is the perfect word to describe these charmers. Wishing you many more “dancing in your Jeep” moments! 🙂