Vermilion Flycatcher

Maestro

The ranch foreman at the Fennessey Ranch where I recently visited mentioned to me that he often sees vermilion flycatchers in a certain part of the ranch. Since the predator blind was slow, I decided to head over to the location. There were no blinds so if I were to photograph this guy, it would be done the old fashioned way, sort of. The foreman had lent me his truck and I basically drove the truck up and down a small trail where the vermilions were supposed to be. After thirty minutes or so, I found them in the distance. The truck moving back and forth on the trail seemed to spook them so I decided to stop near a branch that both frequented. In fact, in watching them, I could tell that both had a sort of routine flying from the perch to the ground snatching insects from an irrigation canal and then returning to certain branches. I parked near one of the branches and waited. Sure enough, without all the movement, within twenty minutes, the vermilions began to ignore me and just hunt. These pictures are some of the results from staking out this branch. The light was horrid. In fact, the whole time I was on the Texas central coast, the weather did not cooperate at all. So I had to shoot these images with flash and high ISO otherwise, they would have been extremely underexposed as F5.6 at 400mm was the widest I could obtain with my lens.













I have a few more to work up, but they all basically show the same branches and same perches I think. Enjoy and have a bright new year! These two certainly brightened my dreary day at the Fennessey Ranch.

Hikin' Mike

Wow, pretty bird!

raptorcaptor

Excellent captures, Stephen! Every once in awhile we get one here. Beautiful birds

dlplumer

I know how difficult these birds are to capture. They are quick and never seem to stay still. Great shots Stephen.

Ric Grupe

Nice catch, Stephen!

Good pose and capture in the second shot.

NorthernFocus

Cool looking bird. Looks like your persistence was rewarded.

redleash

I've never seen a Vermillion, so I'm pleased to know they are nearby. I'm really pleased to have learned about the Fennessey Ranch from your post! I've been wanting a place to go for birding and photos, and just look how close it is to me. Wheeee!!! Thanks, Stephen!

Lauren

bfjr

Never seen one, at least not long enough to capture it :cry

well done

Maestro

redleash wrote:

I've never seen a Vermillion, so I'm pleased to know they are nearby. I'm really pleased to have learned about the Fennessey Ranch from your post! I've been wanting a place to go for birding and photos, and just look how close it is to me. Wheeee!!! Thanks, Stephen!

Lauren

Thanks Lauren and you are much closer to even better places to bird. I've visited this ranch in Dripping Springs which would only be at most an hour from you with traffic: Los Madrones Ranch.

Also you need to check out the great Hill Country ranches near you at Lens and Land.

redleash

Stephen-

THANKS!! I'd read about a bird/photo ranch up north of here but can't remember its name either. The link you gave me is terrific. I have a friend coming here in a couple weeks--she's new to photography and likes birds also. Maybe we can check out one of these places and pick up some winter visitors.

Lauren

spechtal

I love Vermilliion Flycatcher. I had never seen one until I had gone to Mexico. They are stunning!

dbaker1221

cool looking bird Stephen...good for you

Maestro

Hikin' Mike wrote:

Wow, pretty bird!

Thanks Mike. It sure lives up to its name.

Maestro

raptorcaptor wrote:

Excellent captures, Stephen! Every once in awhile we get one here. Beautiful birds

Thanks Glenn. I suppose Arizona would be the best and closest place for you to find one.

Maestro

dlplumer wrote:

I know how difficult these birds are to capture. They are quick and never seem to stay still. Great shots Stephen.

You can say that again Dan. Thanks for looking.

Harryb

Excellent captures of a very interesting subject.

I've been finding of late that just by sitting and blending in you can get some fine captures. Watching your subject's behavior and then taking a spot where you can expect them to come to is very effective.

Maestro

Harryb wrote:

Excellent captures of a very interesting subject.

I've been finding of late that just by sitting and blending in you can get some fine captures. Watching your subject's behavior and then taking a spot where you can expect them to come to is very effective.

Thanks Harry. As my collection of bird photos grows I am finding that I have more patience for a better image. Whereas in the past I simply wanted to photograph the bird to show that I saw it. Now I am trying to work more on the "the shot."

Thanks to everyone else who commented. I appreciate you taking the time to look.

WildWally

Wow , the colors of the bird go so well with BG . Nice shots /!!?!!

bhowdy

Greta shots and a pretty cool looking little bird. Well done sir!

Corehead

Do you see any scissortail flycatchers where you're at? I hope to have my camera at the ready next time I pass through the Robert Lee area (probably have to wait till spring).

But now, that's a great set of shots you got there!

Steve-o

PrescottPhotog

Maestro wrote:

The ranch foreman at the Fennessey Ranch where I recently visited mentioned to me that he often sees vermilion flycatchers in a certain part of the ranch.

Hi Stephen, Great shots for difficult conditions. I haven't seen one of these in many years.

Maestro

Corehead wrote:

Do you see any scissortail flycatchers where you're at? I hope to have my camera at the ready next time I pass through the Robert Lee area (probably have to wait till spring).

But now, that's a great set of shots you got there!

Steve-o

The scissor tailed flycatcher inundates me from March until October. Great birds!

Here is one on its favorite perch.

Maestro

PrescottPhotog wrote:

Hi Stephen, Great shots for difficult conditions. I haven't seen one of these in many years.

They are locally common in south Texas especially in the winter and seem to move just a bit north and west to the Texas Hill Country during the spring and summer months.

Maestro

WildWally wrote:

Wow , the colors of the bird go so well with BG . Nice shots /!!?!!

Thanks Wally for taking time to look in the thread and comment.

Maestro

bhowdy wrote:

Greta shots and a pretty cool looking little bird. Well done sir!

Thank you so much. They definitely are pretty. I think the overcast actually worked in my favor helping me control that bright red plumage.

Corehead

There you go! Thanks!

Maestro wrote:

The scissor tailed flycatcher inundates me from March until October. Great birds!

Here is one on its favorite perch.