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Sunday, June 15, 2008

Scarlet Tanager

While I’m writing in the mornings, I open the window beside my chair so I can listen to the birds sing. We had several bursts of cooling showers last night which made the birds seem even livelier and more vocal this morning. Over the course of fifteen minutes I heard robins, eastern bluebirds, Carolina wrens, crows, a wood thrush, a phoebe, goldfinch, my towhee, chimney swifts, titmice, chickadees and a few others that were familiar but unidentified.
This morning I also had to step outside and take a peek. Today’s surprise was a male scarlet tanager hopping around and feeding in the lower canopy. And the rest of the surprise is we are well into the breeding season for this bird. He is clearly a seldom seen resident. I have very likely mistaken his song for a robin from time to time.
One of the interesting things I read about these birds is that the female, yellow with dark wings, also sings a less bold version of the male’s song, often in response to his song.
I caught this fuzzy photo of a female in early May. The female selects the nesting site and incubates the eggs, while the male feeds her and shares in the feeding of the young. My birder's handbook says a scarlet tanager can live as long as ten years. That's interesting to think about.

4 comments:

  1. Vickie,
    Its thrilling to know that you can recognize all those bird songs.Your post reminded me to be more aware of the things in nature that speak to me,like the watching, smelling and listening to the rain.Its about slowing my thinking mind and being fully present like you are with the sounds of the birds.
    Janice

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  2. Hi Janice,
    I've learned these bird songs gradually over time and I'm still learning.

    Nature certainly slows me down and is the place where I find myself relaxing the most. I think its because all my senses get tuned into what's going on around me and that is always refreshing and interesting. I take nature breaks often.

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  3. I saw a scarlet tanager last Sunday over a river in middle Tn, hovering in the branches. I couldn't believe my eyes. My first sighting. Funny that you saw one the same week.

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  4. Welcome Amelia,
    Aren't the tanagers a delightful surprise?
    I have been on a trip to New Mexico and met a beautiful western tanager while there. Will post birds I enjoyed while there soon.

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