Mission Possible!
The air was calm but thick. So thick you could cut it with a knife! But I was not deterred. I was on a mission – The Scarlet Mission. At 0’dark 30 I set out on my journey to locate and photograph the elusive Scarlet Tanager. These secretive avian creatures are known to be about the area, but they are rarely seen as they stay deep within the old growth forest.
As I arrived at my destination I readied my gear and waited… and waited… and waited. Then, just like that, I heard it! The distinctive raspy note – chick-burr, chick-burr, chick-burr. But where was he? My field of view was taken up with the early morning light gleaming off the sycamore and cottonwood leaves with deep pools of dark green foliage in the background.
Keep waiting I told myself! Be patient – even though my patience is shorter than a gnat. But waited I did. Then a glint of red came flashing by from way up in the canopy of a 100′ tall sycamore. Arrg! too far away to get my lens trained on the subject and make a snap. So, I waited some more, continuing to hear the loud chick-burr, chick-burr, chick-burr.
Then all of a sudden with a burst speed he dropped like a rock in a well and landed on a barren branch about 30′ above my head. So I began to snap, and snap, and snap. I wondered – might this be my one and only chance to capture this black and scarlet marvel? I guess we may never know and you’ll just have to stay tuned to the next episode of… Mission Possible!
