Male Great-tailed Grackle

Like other grackles, this male Great-tailed Grackle has an iridescent sheen on his feathers. It was an overcast day, and I assume that is why he looks dark blue instead of black. This species is a bird of the southwest, where I photographed this one in west Texas.

Song Sparrow

One afternoon I drove by a field of dried grasses, scanning for birds. I found a little cluster of Song Sparrows, but they all predictably disappeared when I circled back. This one eventually reemerged, and I got this shot in the kind of warm light I love.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

When the sun is within a couple of hours setting I get progressively excited. Those are the famed golden hours when the light softens. If I do see something special, there is a chance I'll get a good shot. That's how I got this Red-bellied Woodpecker.

Bewick's Wren

Although in decline, I got this well-camouflaged Bewick's Wren in West Texas, where they are still plentiful. They will nest in rocks, so this one may have been looking for a site. I've seen one in West TN, but they have all but disappeared east of the Mississippi River.

Wilson's Warbler

Down a gently sloping hill, I saw a few plants in glistening water and approached the area slowly. Then I saw my first Wilson's Warbler. He was flying between the reeds and adjacent small evergreens, where I was able to capture him in this lovely light.

Wild Turkey

I love seeing Wild Turkeys in their natural world. These large birds are wise in the ways of survival. I see them in lots of habitats, but it is usually difficult to get a photo. This one was hunting for food and paused to look back and see if anything was hunting turkeys.

Female Northern Flicker (Red-Shafted)

Walking through some Colorado woods, I noticed a hole in an Aspen tree. Just as I was wondering if anyone lived there, this female Northern Flicker surprised me when she stuck her head out. I got this shot, then moved on. Looking back, I noticed she was still there.

Pygmy Nuthatch

The Pygmy Nuthatch is the smallest of the nuthatches in the US and the squeakiest, sounding like a very energetic pet's dog toy. This one was over, under, and around every limb, seeming to check each pine needle and rarely slowing down. But when he did, I was ready.

Green Heron

This Green Heron perched, almost motionless, on what was most likely a favorite hunting spot. He made it clear he was waiting to see if I was a threat. Knowing sudden movement would scare him away, I stayed still except to steady the camera and click the shutter.

Male Pileated Woodpecker

I heard this male Pileated Woodpecker before I saw him. His call was loud, so I knew he was near. I stood still with my camera raised expectantly, but he didn't appear. When my camera grew increasingly heavy, I started to doubt I would see him. Then he rounded a tree.

Male Blue Grosbeak

The Blue Grosbeak was hard to find and harder to photograph. The bright sun washes out the blue to an unattractive gray. I caught this one in dappled sunlight, where you can see the darker blue beneath the shaded areas and lighter blue where the sun pokes through.

Black-crested Titmouse

The Black-crested Titmouse lives primarily in Texas and Mexico. Its dark black crest distinguishes it from the Tufted Titmouse, but both birds tend to be bold. They will investigate anything new in their environment. This one came to check me out, and I got this photo.

Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk

I was about 20 feet into dense woods adjacent to a road when I saw this juvenile Broad-winged Hawk land in a tree across the road. I didn't need to get closer as much as to get a clear opening. I moved laterally as slowly as I could until I found a place to get this shot.

Female Black-throated Green Warbler

Like most migrants, this Black-throated Green Warbler was a total surprise. I had been photographing common birds in the area when this little splash of yellow caught my eye. It was migrating through middle Tennessee back south for the winter.

Dusky Flycatcher

This Dusky Flycatcher was the bright spot on a day when I was seeing very few birds. It seemed to have found a treasure trove of insects. I watched it fly out from a branch to catch something and then return to that perch or another and repeat the process over ten minutes.

Black-capped Chickadee

At first, I thought this was the Carolina Chickadee, but then I realized it was the Black-capped. I haven't seen many, so I hoped he would stop just long enough to get a shot. He was busy in the branches as usual. This is the best of three photos I got before he was gone.

Tricolored Heron

This Tricolored Heron saw me but didn't consider me a threat. He was in stealth mode, moving slowly with each stride. His focus was entirely on the water and what might swim along any minute. When they are hunting like this, they are less likely to take off right away.

American Roadrunner

Some American Roadrunner feathers are iridescent in the right light. That sheen is not always seen in frontal or side shots. However, when I caught this one briefly searching the bushes for something to eat, the light was just right before he disappeared into the brush.

Male Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Fires are devastating to lots of wildlife, but birds and larger animals can escape. Some birds return quickly, while others take a few years. I was fortunate to catch this male Ladder-backed Woodpecker in trees that were not fully consumed in a fire years earlier.

Immature Male Northern Parula

I saw a Northern Parula for the first time in Florida and was beside myself with excitement. After that experience, I was eventually able to find them in Tennessee. That's where I photographed this one, but he made me work for it by zig-zagging through the branches.

Lincoln's Sparrow

Although I try to get them in the open, I end up with my fair share of birds in the brambles. I watched this Lincoln's Sparrow move around, hoping he would come into the clear, but decided to go ahead and get this shot. Since he flew away after that, I'm glad I did.

Clapper Rail

In the US, the Clapper Rail is found along the southern and eastern coasts. I watched this secretive bird move slowly in the thick grasses for about an hour, but it never came out into the open. I decided to get the best shots I could and hope for better luck another day.

Immature Male Bullock's Oriole

With his bright plumage against a green canopy, this immature male Bullock's Oriole wasn't hard to spot, but it was seldom in the open. I watched as he gleaned insects from the foliage with several branches in the way until he eventually presented a clear shot.

White-winged Dove

In its natural environment, the White-winged Dove is well camouflaged. Like some other birds, you might not even notice it at a distance until it moves. That's what happened with this one. When I saw it and raised my camera, he gave me this look before taking off.

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

I walked along a hot, dry creek bed and decided to stop in a spot with just a little shade. As I waited, this Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay landed facing away from me along the bank. When I raised my camera, it caught his attention. I got this shot just before he took off.

Male Violet-green Swallow

I looked down a steep embankment below the road and saw a bird fly out from the rocks. I climbed down slowly and found an old blasting hole in a boulder. After a while, this male Violet-green Swallow returned with food. I waited and got this shot just as he emerged again.

Bendire's Thrasher

I watched this Bendire's Thrasher land in the same tree a couple of times. He had caterpillars in his beak and seemed to be feeding young but was obscured in branches. He eventually returned with a mouthful of what looks like nymphs and stones, and I finally got this shot.

Great Blue Heron

Near a trailhead, I came across a pond with lots of reeds and tall grasses. I was immediately on the lookout for birds. As I rounded a bend, I saw this Great Blue Heron statue-still, standing on one leg. He was some distance away and didn't move as I raised my camera.

Nothern Mockingbird

In Tennessee, most of the leaves are still on the trees, not the ground. But I found this Northern Mockingbird on bare branches just as the sun was about to set. Even as temps cool, the light from the setting sun gives most things a warm glow, including this gray bird.

Verdin

The Verdin has been described as having its head dipped in yellow paint. These continually moving birds are challenging to photograph. They are upside down one second and right side up the next looking for insects. I think the wild camera movement made this one pause.

Black-crowned Night-Heron

I walked past this Black-crown Night-Heron in a tree and didn't see a thing. I looked again as I returned to the car. He was so obscured by the foliage I had to bend, squat, and move back and forth several times to find this opening. I focused on his eye and got this shot.

Male Acorn Woodpecker

I stood in a large open area, deciding where to go next, when this male Acorn Woodpecker landed on the other side of this pole. I knew better than to chase him around and patiently waited. He hopped into view after a while, and I got this shot just before he took off.

Pine Siskin

This is one of the tightest close-ups I've gotten of the Pine Siskin. These busy birds are in perpetual motion, usually twittering all the time. They seem to forage constantly, but fortunately, I caught this one in a two-second burst of shots as he paused between branches.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

It is always exciting to spot the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. They will often have their long and defining tail hanging down, but the day I captured this one, the wind was blowing. The bird was having trouble keeping balance, and I was surprised he paid any attention to me.

Male Red-winged Blackbird

I was excited to catch this Red-winged Blackbird swaying on a slender perch. I initially had eye contact with him and was about to snap a photo when he heard another male calling. Within seconds, he belted out his own evening call, a lovely way to end the day.

Male Gambel's Quail

I thought finding the evening roost of this male Gambel's Quail would make him easy to photograph, but he seemed to sense I was trying to get a shot and usually kept several branches between us. I finally got him when he moved to this branch and started calling.