Phainopepla on the Tuolumne River

I'm home from my Christmas travels, and immediately walked down to the Tuolumne River to see how the trail work was progressing. I wasn't expecting to see many birds in the middle of a cold gloomy day, but I actually saw several interesting species. Phainopeplas (Phainopeplas nitens) and I have a "rare" relationship. I like them and want to take sharp beautiful pictures of them, and they like to keep their distance. I got a distant shot when I was in the Death Valley region last year, and some decent shots of a female on the Tuolumne River in November. The only male I've caught on the river was hidden among the branches. So each time I see them, we've gotten closer to "that" picture. Not quite yet, but one of these days!

The male that I saw today was kind enough to stay perched in the tree top while I tried to hold the camera steady at full zoom. It worked pretty well, but a tripod would have been even better. They might be getting used to the geeky looking guy in the misshapen hat who keeps walking the river trail with a camera.