Red-winged Blackbirds are birds that I associate with spring, the males begin calling perched on top of reeds, cattails, grasses and shrubs and flash their brightly colored coverts to attract a mate.

Male Red-winged-black-birdMale Red-winged Blackbird (Agelius phoeniceus) – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/350, ISO 250, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light

Red-winged Blackbirds are one of the most abundant songbirds in North America. They prefer marshes and wetlands and build cup-shaped nests woven with grasses and mud.

Female Red-winged Blackbird with nesting materialFemale Red-winged Blackbird with nesting material – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light

When I photographed the female Red-winged Blackbird above I had been walking on a narrow path through a stand of mangroves to get to a tidal lagoon to photograph shorebirds there when I heard a rustling sound and this female with nesting material in her bill popped up from the ground to perch on the top of the mangrove. I took a few pictures and quickly went on my way. I didn’t want to disturb or disrupt her from building her nest.

Lately I have heard the Red-winged Blackbird males calling more frequently, it won’t be long before they begin the nesting season in earnest.

Mia