While sitting outside one morning last week, the Zendog and I suddenly felt a swoosh of air moving past our heads. For a moment all I could see was a bright blur heading straight for the lilac bush. Once this brightly colored bird landed, I knew right away that we were looking at a Western Tanager. Lucky me for having the camera right there! 😉
And while Western Tanagers do live in this area, I’ve only seen one three times in the fourteen years we’ve been in this house.
Isn’t he just gorgeous?
A male Western Tanager in summer plumage has
a bright yellow body with a reddish-orange face,
black tail and wings with white wing bars and a yellow shoulder patch.
According to my bird guide, Western Tanagers are not very active
which is probably why I rarely see them around here.
Suddenly, he took wing and disappeared into the woods.
in cahoots with muddy boots 
Glorious!
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Indeed!
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What a beautiful bird!! How fortunate you were sitting there and had the camera ready. I wish I had seen something that beautiful.
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I do feel lucky to have seen him! They probably are in your forest too, Marlene! Perhaps you too will spot one some day.
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Little guy in your photo kinda cuddles into the greenery, half hidden. Fine looking bird! I hope you can see it again.
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Hey Trish, he did seem to like the leaf cover. Hopefully he’ll come back again!
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You are so lucky, you have captured this lovely bird Sabine!
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Yes Arlene, I think so too!
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Absolutely spectacular! Well done!
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Thank you, kind Sir!
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Very pretty little birds. We see them a lot when out camping this time of year. They’re so unexpected in the forest, with their kind of tropical coloring. Gorgeous, Sabine!
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Lucky you to see them in the woods! They do look tropical around here. 🙂
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What a beautiful bird Sabine – you know that if I had seen him flitting by, I would have just thought it was a goldfinch that had gotten into the Cheetos! 🙂 He sure is beautiful. We really don’t have a wide variety of colorful birds that you have here … unless they are hiding when I am out.
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Linda, I think you might have been able to tell that it wasn’t a goldfinch. The tanager is larger and the shades of yellow are different. You have tanagers too in your area, but they might prefer a less urban area. And tanagers are usually heard more than seen!
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I see – the goldfinches are tiny and are about the size and body shape of a canary. You are right … I was thinking at a glance. When I was young my mother bought me an Audubon Land Bird Guide to North American Birds and I used to know more than I know now. I remembered the name “Scarlet Tanager” and just Googled it – I remember that pretty bird from the “Guide” – you are lucky to see so many birds. I am not rural enough. I saw a lot of milkweed at the Park today – it is growing rampant and never noticed a big group of it. I looked for monarchs and none yet, but saw a monarch caterpillar. So I am going to keep my eye out for monarchs at the milkweed. I am going to an open butterfly garden event for charity (animal shelters) this Sunday – I hope our weather is cooperative. This year the woman has two events, one in July for general butterflies and one in September strictly for Monarchs.
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The monarchs near you are exiting! Hopefully you’ll write about them! 🙂
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I hope to write more Sabine – I have given myself a lot of hours off my feet and elevating my legs and I am now trying to catch up on e-mail, and catch up in comments/Reader. I feel badly to write a post so behind in Reader. Tomorrow will be very nice weather and the butterfly event is at noon. Last time it was overcast, so not so many butterflies – hoping that is not the case tomorrow. 🙂
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Such a happy sight to see! I wish that my eyes were good enough to see something so beautiful whizzing by.
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Yes, as happy and cheerful sight indeed! 🙂
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Stunning photos, Sabine. Glad you had your camera right there by you, too.
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Thanks LuAnne! How are you doing? Are your wrists all healed? 🙋
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Hi Sabine, Rosalie and I were just looking at the Cooper Hawk when we saw these gorgeous tanager shots. We are both impressed! A perfect pose he’s strike for your wonderful description! I will start looking for these beauties.
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Thank you Christine and Rosalie! The tanagers are quite beautiful! I think I may have seen a female one this morning. But I’m not 100% sure. I hope you get to see some down there too! 🙋
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