For years, I had not been able to get really

good shots of the Eastern Kingbird, even

though they are very common here. They

never let me get very close.

I included these early shots just to show the

bird, while hoping to be able to capture better

shots in the future.

You can always recognize the Kingbird, even

from a distance, because they look as though

they’ve dipped the tip of their tails into a

bucket of white paint.

Eastern Kingbirds are members of the family Tyrannidae, the Tyrant Flycatchers. Their scientific

name, Tyrannus tyrannus, reflects the fact that Kingbirds are well known for their aggressive nature

in defense of their nests and mates, and their domination of other birds. Pairs are monogamous and

maintain territories while breeding. I have a mating pair in residence over by the pond.

1 MAY 2011

22 MAY 2011

It had never occurred to me until I read a magazine article that a great way to get close-ups of birds

that one normally couldn’t approach was to use a remote control shutter device. It was just luck that I

had bought a camera that would accommodate that add-on piece of equipment. In June 2012, I had the

ideal opportunity to try out the remote shutter, when a Kingbird began regularly perching in a little pine

tree in the meadow. I set up my camera on a tripod and aimed it at what I hoped would be the right

perching spot, then kept watch inside the house until the bird landed. The bird never paid attention to

the camera sitting just a few feet away. The following photos are my first results, taken a few days

apart. Although it’s not obvious in pictures of this size, the amount of detail I’m getting in these close

shots is excellent, and I love my new remote control shutter capability.

16 JUNE 2012

25 JUNE 2012