Sunday, November 2, 2014

Behold The Kinglet With The Crown Of Gold

 I was in the midst of birding along the shoreline when I came across a cedar tree with several Golden-crowned Kinglets fluttering from the branches as they searched for food. Up until this point my unofficial objective was to look for a variety of sparrows and keep my eye out for certain species of birds that had been reported in the area. 

After several minutes of viewing I realized that these kinglets weren't going anywhere soon which presented me with an opportunity to observe them more closely.
 Golden-crowned Kinglets are a tiny bird with beautiful markings, especially their golden crown which is outlined in black.They mainly eat tiny insects and can survive in 40 degree below zero temperatures.
 It's not uncommon to find Golden-crowned Kinglets in Connecticut, especially this time of year. One of the things which frustrates me about them is that they move around so frequently that I find it difficult to photograph them. Usually, I end up with an out-of-focus photo showing blurred wings with the bird in an awkward pose. This time, I was able to follow their movement pattern until I was finally able to catch a few in the proper position. I spent an hour standing in front of the same tree but it was worth it to me.
 A Brown Creeper also came in to visit the same tree. They usually blend in with the color of the tree bark making them difficult to see. Catching one in this position with a mouthful of food was a pleasant surprise.
There were also several Ruby-crowned Kinglets in the area that day as well. Trying to catch one with its crown raised is a challenge for another day or maybe even another year.

I usually have some sort of plan when I'm out birding but I think it's important to be aware of special opportunities when they present themselves. There may be a limit to the number of birds you can see but the variety in which you can appreciate the world of nature is limited only by your imagination.

19 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Lovely collection of photos.. I love the kinglets, they are adorable.

FAB said...

The Golden-crowned are very similar to our Firecrest and notoriously difficult to photograph. Your patience paid off Larry ... super images.

Jen Sanford said...

I love kinglets despite the challenge they are to photograph. That creeper shot is really awesome too.

Linda said...

Absolutely gorgeous, Larry! And in your first photo...I feel as though I can reach out and touch this beautiful bird! Magnificent!

warriormom said...

Well, I am impressed!...and grateful you had the patience to get such great photos! Just beautiful! That goes for the juvenile Hooded Merganser in your previous post. Gorgeous shots.

TexWisGirl said...

wow! congratulations! these kinglet shots are awesome! so 'flitty' they are! and the tree creeper is wonderful!

Larry said...

Thanks for the comments.I was pleased to finally get a couple of GC Kinglet pics.They usually get the best of me.

Cathy said...

I've never seen better pictures of those kinglets.
Charming.
And some day . . . that ruby will be yours :)

Michelle said...

A sweet shot of the Brown Creeper.

Larry said...

Thanks-I was on my knees with my head underneath the tree foliage to catch that creeper in action.

Sonja said...

Lovely images of the Golden-crowned Kinglets. A little flock flew in to some bushes when we were visiting the zoo in Seattle early this year, so I know how active and fast they are!

Stewart M said...

Great shots - especially given how small the bird is!

You would be more than welcome to link this (and future) bird posts to Wild Bird Wednesday that runs on my photo-blog on (!) Wednesdays. ABout 50 bloggers link up, including some familiar faces in your comments.

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

These are 3 lovely little birds and I especially love the first shot. It is a creaking shot.

Dave said...

Beautiful photos!

A Colorful World said...

Gorgeous birds! Beautiful shots of them! 40-below. Wow. You always tend to worry about the birds when it gets really icy cold, but they survive beautifully by beautiful design!

Adam Jones said...

Fabulous pictures.

Dave said...

Stunning light on these images, great result for your blog post

BumbleVee said...

"The best laid plans of mice and men".... sometimes the fact that they go astray gives you better opportunities after all .....
they are beautiful .... what great photos you have ....

troutbirder said...

Beautiful shots proving the old saw about patience being a virtue. I loved your campsite and views in the Berkshires...:)