Another favorite photographic subject that I look for in the Wichita Mountains (Oklahoma) is the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus). Until the last few years, there were none where I live. Now, I occasionally will see one sitting on an overhead wire, with the obvious clue being the extremely long tail. In the Wichita Mountains, they are quite common in and around the meadows. With the wildflowers in peak bloom, it was quite a sight to see these beauties dispersed among the wildflowers.
Here is a flycatcher I found in a grassy meadow, showing the long tail:
When photographing wildflowers in one of the meadows, a flycatcher posed very nicely in some stunning wildflower scenery:
Towards the end of my stay in Oklahoma, I found another flycatcher that was just building a nest. I noted the location and will check on activity at the nest during my next visit to the beautiful Wichita Mountains!
Photographic Equipment Used:
Top 2 images:
- Canon 7D body
- Canon EF100mm-400mm, f/4.5 – f/5.6, IS lens, shot at 400mm
- Handheld, with IS “On”
- ISO 800
- Aperture f/8
- Shutter 1/1000 sec.
Bottom 4 images:
- Canon 7D body
- Canon EF100mm-400mm, f/4.5 – f/5.6, IS lens, shot at 400mm
- Handheld, with IS “On”
- ISO 500
- Aperture f/8
- Shutter 1/500 sec. to 1/800 sec.