Young Lazuli Bunting peeking out of a serviceberry shrub – Nikon D500, f9, 1/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I escaped into the coolness of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning for a few hours. While I was there I photographed this young Lazuli Bunting. Prior to spotting this bunting I had been taking images of a Yellow Warbler. When the young bunting landed in a serviceberry in front of me I moved my Jeep up slightly. I was glad the bird stuck around long enough for me to take a nice series of photos it the immature bunting.
The serviceberries are beginning to ripen now. We’ve had just enough precipitation that this year the fruit eating birds should be able to gorge themselves on the juicy berries before they leave on fall migration. In many areas fruit production was way down last year because of our extreme and ongoing drought.
Lazuli Bunting juvenile in a serviceberry – Nikon D500, f9, 1/640, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I was thrilled to see this juvenile Lazuli Bunting as close to me as it was. My only sightings of young and female Lazuli Buntings have been from long distances until yesterday.
For people searching for Lazuli Buntings in northern Utah I suggest locating the serviceberry shrubs that are found all over the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains at this time of the year. These birds are drawn to the berries as if they were magnets. I still haven’t eaten the berries myself but I have read that they are tasty.
Over the next couple of weeks I expect that I will be focused on taking more Lazuli Bunting images when I find them on my journeys into the field.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Lazuli Bunting photos plus facts and information about this species.
Fun bird find! It is good to see fruit this year. I was surprised at all the ripe berries of all kinds along the Fall River in Idaho. Plentiful and ripe. Along the Snake River in Idaho I have seen more currents than I have ever noticed anywhere. I have been along the Snake River in Wyoming a lot in my teens and twenties and not seen the currents, mostly willow.
I do envy your eyesight. I am not certain I would have even seen this beauty – until it moved. Thank you.
It certainly is fond of the serviceberry. We have one in open woodland near the house here in Connecticut. Not sure it is same species but it produces fruits in June and is called Juneberry.