Scissor-tailed Flycatchers nesting south of Florence: the female foraging

[SeEttaM .]

Yesterday and today I got some much better photos of the female Scissor-tailed Flycatcher when she foraged near where I was parked in the driveway several hundred feet north of the nest tree.  I watched her and sometimes the male forage a number of times and when I saw them with their catch they ate it.  However for sure on one occasion the grasshopper's leg came off so the grasshopper came out of her grasp but she re-caught it and I did get some photos of that neat action that I have uploaded to my Birds and Nature blog.

I have talked to the owner of the property on which the nest tree and the driveway to the north of the nest is located.  It is ok if we park in that driveway as long as we do not block it and as long as we stay just outside their fenceline.  Though this is fairly distant from the nest tree I could see the flycatchers both with my binoculars as well as my spotting scope (tho clearly better view with scope).  The best thing about this location is that sometimes the birds forage nearby providing very good views and photo opportunities--and it is off the highway and safe.  The pull-off south of the nest tree and on the east side of the highway is as noted in a post yesterday another good spot to park that is safe and does not impact nesting.

SeEtta Moss

Canon City
http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com