Catching Up: Butterflies, Grasshoppers, and Spiders

Some health issues have kept me from getting out much the past three months. So, the series on "Birds on a Wire," was a way to stay in touch.

Now that the "Birds on a Wire" series is finished  I'll catch up on a few short trips I've taken over those three months. First up, Some Insects:

Giant Swallowtail

Differential Grasshopper

Banded Argiope

Queen Butterfly

Red Spinner Dragonfly

Pipevine Swallowtail: Female

Green Valley Grasshopper

Birds on a Wire: Western Meadowlark

The Western Meadowlark is very similar in plumage to the Eastern Meadowlark although has very different song patterns. Their ranges don't often overlap -- except in Southern Arizona where the occasional Eastern Meadowlark can be found.

It forages mostly on the ground looking for insects and seeds -- even digging in the ground with its bill.  Insects include beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, ants, bugs, and spiders. In the fall and winter it eats more seeds and grains.

Birds on a Wire: Western Kingbird

The Western Kingbird range is mostly West of the Missouri River. It prefers open country and is often seen perched on roadside fences and wires where it can sally out to snatch up insects or to harass ravens, hawks, or other large birds.

It feeds mostly on insects like wasps, bees, beetles, and grasshoppers. But will also eat berries and fruits.

It is well adjusted to farmlands and ranches and can even be found in small towns on occasions. 

Western Kingbird

Western Kingbird

Birds on a Wire: Vesper Sparrow

The Vesper Sparrow population has been in decline in the Eastern U.S. due to habitat loss. It is still common in the West however.

It prefers meadows, prairies, and fields. It is most easily seen along dirt back country roads. 

The Vesper Sparrow forages on the ground looking for insects and seeds. It will eat beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars and moths. Seeds are of weeds and grasses. 

This photo was taken in San Rafael Valley east of Patagonia.

Vesper Sparrow

Birds on a Wire: Vermillion Flycatcher

The Vermillion Flycatcher is a stunningly beautiful bird. Although it's range is limited in the US to Southern Arizona and Southwest Texas, it is fairly easily seen due to its bright red color. 

It prefers streamsides in arid country, savanna, ranches and riparian areas. It usually perches on leafless tree branches over streams (like a Phoebe) or on wires/fences near open grassy areas where there would be plenty of beetles, flies, wasps, and grasshoppers.

In looking through my photos for this post, I realized that I didn't have a good photo of a male Vermillion Flycatcher on a Wire. So, I included a male which was perched on a rail.

Female Vermillion Flycatcher

Male Vermillion Flycatcher

Female Vermillion Flycatcher

Birds on a Wire: Tropical Kingbird

The Tropical Kingbird is widespread throughout the American Tropics rarely coming into the US and primarily Southern Arizona when it does so. Unlike the other Kingbirds (Western, Cassin's, Thick-Billed) they are generally solitary and avoid large flocks.

It usually perches on wires and fences sallying out to capture insects in flight. It will also hover and drop to the ground to pick up insects.

Tropical Kingbird

Birds on a Wire: Swainson's Hawk

The Swainson's Hawk is a Western United States raptor whose population unfortunately is in decline.  It can easily be mistaken for a Red Tailed Hawk, especially in its juvenile stages. Like the Red Tailed it uses telephone poles as perches, but unlike Red Tails, it prefers insects to rodents, snakes, and other birds (though it will occasionally take those animals, especially in the early summer). It hunts from its perch, by soaring over grasslands, and by running around on the ground.