A rare bird the female Summer Tanager was reported at Wehr Nature Center a few days ago. This morning I made the stop there and after a 30 minute wait the bird showed at the feeder. It took a bee off the hive at the center and flew up into a nearby tree. It killed the bee and ate it. That is one of the things this bird species eats. There were plenty of bees buzzing around the hives there so this bird might hang around longer. A couple of beautiful FOY Indigo Buntings showed up there at the feeder while I was waiting for the tanager to show. It was a beautiful morning, cool but the sun was shinning, something we had not seen in a while. Early temps were about 40. Images were taken on May 13, 2019.
Note: A rare bird because it is a little out of it’s normal range which is central Illinois and south.
The Summer Tanager, female
Summer Tanager with the bee in the bill…
Summer Tanager with the bee in the bill…getting a better grip…
Squishing the bee…
A nice pose…
