{"id":91816,"date":"2021-07-08T05:46:35","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T11:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=91816"},"modified":"2026-03-18T13:16:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T18:16:11","slug":"surprise-pine-siskin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/08\/surprise-pine-siskin\/","title":{"rendered":"Surprise Pine Siskin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MuskMusk Thistle with two bee species on it \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday morning I was high in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> photographing bees on a Musk Thistle when a Pine Siskin landed on the flower. I am not certain of the identification of the bees but I believe they are two of the more than 900 native bees that we have in Utah.<\/p>\n

The Musk Thistle isn’t native, it is introduced and considered to be a pest. I don’t think the bees or the siskins mind the fact that the thistle is introduced. The bees may feed on nectar and the pollen of the flowers and I know that the siskins eat the seeds.<\/p>\n

Anyway, I was completely focused on taking photos of the thistle and the bees. Through my viewfinder I have a very limited field of vision and if I am not paying attention outside of the viewfinder sometimes things pop into my field of view that I don’t expect.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Pine Siskin on a Musk Thistle close up \u2013 Nikon D810, f9, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday the unexpected “thing” was a surprise adult Pine Siskin that landed on the Musk Thistle that scared away the bees I was photographing. I knew that the siskins were in the area because I could see and hear them. I just didn’t expect this siskin to land on the flower that I was focused on. It was an unexpected gift.<\/p>\n

I was able to take six images of the siskin before it flew off.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Pine Siskin photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my wildflower photos along with shrubs and trees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday morning I was high in the Wasatch Mountains photographing bees on a Musk Thistle when a Pine Siskin landed on the flower.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":134225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,4594,1210,26,773,5347],"tags":[4004,2464,6513,6098,3940,4299,6623,3504,3495,6518,4069,6622,6853,3493,5064,5070,6103,6104,6626,6624,4307],"class_list":["post-91816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-morgan-county","category-pine-siskins","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","category-wildflowers","tag-adult","tag-bee","tag-bees","tag-blooming","tag-canyon","tag-carduelis-pinus","tag-carduus-nutans","tag-finch","tag-finches","tag-flowering","tag-mountains","tag-musk-thistle","tag-nonnative","tag-pine-siskin","tag-pink-wildflowers","tag-purple-wildflowers","tag-siskin","tag-siskins","tag-thistle","tag-thistles","tag-wildflowers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pine-siskin-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-8316.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-nSU","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":56261,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/02\/21\/pine-siskin-feeding-on-musk-thistle-close-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":91816,"position":0},"title":"Pine Siskin Feeding On Musk Thistle Close Up","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm not sure I have ever been as close to a Pine Siskin as I was to this one before, I'm glad this siskin decided to delight me with its presence even though it was just for a very brief time.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pine Siskin feeding on Musk Thistle, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-thistle-feeding-mia-mcpherson-5895.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-thistle-feeding-mia-mcpherson-5895.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-thistle-feeding-mia-mcpherson-5895.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-thistle-feeding-mia-mcpherson-5895.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53527,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/11\/pine-siskin-close-up-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":91816,"position":1},"title":"Pine Siskin Close Up Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I am always glad when a bird unexpectedly flies in so that I can take close up photos because close ups show so much fine detail in their plumage and that is what happened earlier this week with a Pine Siskin.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pine Siskin close up, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9195.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9195.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9195.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-up-close-mia-mcpherson-9195.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115523,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/30\/musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":91816,"position":2},"title":"Musk Thistle And Bumble Bee In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 30, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning, I'm sharing a simple image of a Musk Thistle and a bumblebee that I photographed two days ago in the high country of the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Morgan County"","block_context":{"text":"Morgan County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/morgan-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Musk Thistle with a bumble bee, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-mia-mcpherson-9036.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-mia-mcpherson-9036.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-mia-mcpherson-9036.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/musk-thistle-and-bumble-bee-mia-mcpherson-9036.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72647,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/12\/pine-siskin-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":91816,"position":3},"title":"Pine Siskin In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The bird activity picked up just after the sun rose over the mountains peaks and as I scanned the area for birds I spotted this Pine Siskin almost directly in front of me clinging to a small branch.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pine Siskin clinging to a small branch, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-clinging-to-branch-mia-mcpherson-9616.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-clinging-to-branch-mia-mcpherson-9616.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-clinging-to-branch-mia-mcpherson-9616.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/pine-siskin-clinging-to-branch-mia-mcpherson-9616.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":104304,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/16\/early-july-wildflowers-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":91816,"position":4},"title":"Early July Wildflowers In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I wanted to share some of the wildflowers I photographed in the first part of July that I have found in Summit and Morgan Counties high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flowering Parsnipflower Buckwheat, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53260,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/29\/female-great-spangled-fritillary-nectaring-on-musk-thistle-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":91816,"position":5},"title":"Female Great Spangled Fritillary Nectaring on Musk Thistle in the Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week while I was up in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains I spotted a female Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly nectaring on a Musk Thistle so I felt I had to take photos of she sipped the nectar of the flower.","rel":"","context":"In "Great Spangled Fritillary Butterflies"","block_context":{"text":"Great Spangled Fritillary Butterflies","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/great-spangled-fritillary-butterflies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Great Spangled Fritillary female on a Musk Thistle, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/great-spangled-fritillary-female-musk-thistle-mia-mcpherson-6738.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91816\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/134225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}