I was able to make two trips to the bird log on the east side of the Sandias this spring; the second was the day before the forest closed. I was thrilled to see western tanagers both times.
Taking a decent photo of a male western tanager has been sort of a holy grail for me. I seldom see them, and even more infrequently manage to get a shot. The very few I’ve nailed have usually had ugly backgrounds — like mud, for instance. I finally got lucky this spring.
The trees were just starting to leaf out the first time I visited the bird log (above). When I next visited, not quite two weeks later, a lot more green was visible (below).
During that visit, I noticed a mostly yellow bird (above) that I’d never seen before. Turns out she’s a female western tanager. If I’d hadn’t ever seen the male’s bright colors, I might have been enchanted by all her yellow. Instead, she seemed like a pastel representative of another species entirely.
I especially like the contrast of the tanager’s vivid colors (above) with the drab, almost monochrome background. I took this photo when the leaves were just barely beginning to make an appearance.
Male western tanagers seem quintessentially New Mexican with their bright red and yellow colors. Despite the fact that I’ve finally been successful in getting a few decent shots, I’m guessing they’ll maintain their holy grail status in my life for some years to come.
What beautiful bird photos! They're gorgeous.
These beautiful birds are not seen in our back yard! Thanks for being there at just the right moments, Lisa.