My day started out meeting up with Anne Moretti and birding at the Beulah Bog in Walworth County. We tried for the White-eyed Vireo and heard it well but just could not get looks at it. I had tried the day before too and heard it numerous times, sometimes very close by but just could not get looks at this bird. It was a great experience birding with Anne as she can just walk down the path and call out all the birds on both sides, it was a first for me experience at that. Her hearing is just incredible along with the knowledge of bird calls. It amazed me! I know other birders do this, and common in the birding world, it was just a great experience. From there I photographed a Great Crested Flycatcher bringing food to the nest hole. For the most part it captured dragonfly species and Mayflies. Once it captured a Admiral Butterfly and perched on a nearby tree limb as it is typical of what it does before it enters the nest hole. The butterfly struggled to get away, still alive, for fear it would lose the butterfly the flycatcher just ate butterfly, pretty cool to see. Some caterpillars were also brought in. The birds tail each time when feeding the young stuck out of the nest hole just a little bit so the young must pretty far down in the nest hole yet. Some Gray Catbirds gave the flycatchers some grief on occasion near the nest hole tree but nothing amounted to anything. Images were taken on June 21, 2016.
Great Crested Flycatcher with a Prince Baskettail
Great Crested Flycatcher
Binomial name: Myiarchus crinitus
Category: Tyrant Flycatchers
Size: 8.75” long, 13” wing span
Weight: 1.2 oz
Great Crested Flycatcher with a Prince Baskettail
Great Crested Flycatcher nest hole
Great Crested Flycatcher with insect
An adult feeding young in the nest hole
Great Crested Flycatcher with a Admiral Butterfly. It ate this butterfly before making it to the nest hole as it appeared it may slip away as it was still alive and it looked like it might get away.
Great Crested Flycatcher with a Prince Baskettail
Great Crested Flycatcher with a dragonfly species
Great Crested Flycatcher going down the branch on the way to the nest hole
Great Crested Flycatcher going down the branch closer to the nest hole
Great Crested Flycatcher just before it leaves the nest hole after feeding, looks around, all points clear!
Great Crested Flycatcher with a dragonfly
Great Crested Flycatcher with something
Leaving the nest hole after feeding the young
Great Crested Flycatcher with something
Great Crested Flycatcher with insects
Great Crested Flycatcher with a Mayfly
Great Crested Flycatcher with a Prince Baskettail
Great Crested Flycatcher with a dragonfly
Great Crested Flycatcher with a dragonfly
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Admiral Butterfly that does not get away series, not the sharpest images…
Just after catching the Admiral Butterfly the Great Crested Flycatcher perches near the nest hole
The struggle continues as the butterfly tries to get away
And continues…
And continues…
And continues…
And continues…
And continues…
One the way down…
And…
And…
Gone!!
Best ever pics of the G.C. flycatcher with prey Jim.
Always look forward to my coffee when I have your
images to pour over!! Way to go and thanks.
Cheers from Peggy in Madison
As always great photos and to capture the Flycatcher with it’s prey made them pure perfection. Thanks again for sharing them.
You have done a great job of capturing the colors on that beautiful bird, Jim. Insects, beware when a Great-crested Flycatcher is in the neighborhood! Your photos show me what I am missing by not having your patience. Thanks.
Love these photos. We had a Great Crested in our yard yesterday. Have you ever heard about Carol Rudy (Chilton)? She also has incredible ears as Ann does. It is amazing! For me, being a rookie of sorts, I need to look those feathered creatures right in the eye! Thanks for sharing.
Some amazing and priceless captures Jim. Congratulations!!
These are just spectacular shots Jim. Thank you !
Wonderful photos. The Butterfly sequence was amazing!
And the bird is so beautiful.
Thank you, Jim!