May 18 2014 Burlington and Hamilton, ON. The eighteenth of May, it would be hard to pick a date more likely to produce a wave of neo-tropical migrants than this. It hasn’t left a lot of time for posting to My Bird of the Day.
Before breakfast I visited a lakeside park not far from home. The park includes a gracious, former summer home with lawns and formal flower beds; in contrast though much of it is un-manicured, natural and relaxed. A decent sized stream finds its way through the park to empty finally into Lake Ontario. Close to the old home is an overgrown White Cedar hedge which provides cover, protection, and shelter for birds and not to mention clouds of flying insects and various creeping invertebrates; a banquet for the taking. This morning, standing gazing at this old hedge was all you needed to do to see countless brilliant and compelling little birds. I noted: Blackburnian, Tennessee, Blackpoll, Black & White, and Black-throated Blue Warblers. Also American Redstarts, Northern Parulas and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher; all of them minor celebrities as they worked in and out through the hedge.
Later (after an overdue breakfast) and unable to stay home, I retraced our walk of two evenings ago. The bird mix was a little different and I added Bay-breasted Warbler and a Philadelphia Vireo to my day’s notes, but I have to say that the Birds of the Day were the many Scarlet Tanagers.
The photo above shows quite well how the female Scarlet Tanager is really a rather drab green and heavy looking girl. Actually the male is no lightweight either but who notices? Scarlet Tanager pair bonds must be well established in mid-May by the time they reach us, for where there’s a female you can be pretty sure a male is not far away.
While it may become a bit repetitive, I think we all have some appetite for the dramatic, so here’s a gallery of photos from the afternoon but visible only on the website, not if you’re reading this as an email.
I have yet to sort out how to persuade my camera to render the blazing scarlet with more definition, it seems to be very easy to lose focus and burn out the expanse of red, it’s as if something overloads the camera’s sensors. I will appreciate anyone’s comments or suggestions on this.
Hey, Cath & I saw a gorgeous male Scarlet Tanager today, too! We were near to him and observed for a good, long while. I used my eyes, Cath used her camera eye.
I’m no protog but if your cam’s set to “vivid” or “foliage” in it’s colour settings that may make the red over-saturated. Personally, I like the results you achieved!