American Redstart

I haven't posted for nearly a week because I was busy helping Kelly Bryan and Fred Bassett band hummingbirds. The drought is so bad that hummers don't have nectar sources anywhere other than feeders. We banded over 80 Lucifers alone (at three S Brewster Co banding sites). We simply must have rain soon, like yesterday.

Quite a few migrants still seeking refuge at the oasis. When I wasn't distracted by a MacGillivray's Warbler and empidinax flycatchers, I was determined to get photos of an American Redstart foraging close to where I sat. The problem was, besides the bird moving constantly, that the bird was between me and the sun. So the results weren't good, but better than what I got of that Slate-throated Redstart (see April 20 post), which was nothing.

I'm not a snake afficionado, but if I have to see one, I'd rather it be this W. Coachwhip (Red Racer, to some) than a rattler.

In the afternoon when the light got better I tried for better photos of the redstart. I like these shots better. I'm pretty sure it's a first summer male. (Notice the blotchy black areas that show up best on the last photo.) You can always click on any photo on my blog to enlarge.