While I visited my friend Steve in Arkansas, I was happy to hear, see, and take a few Great Crested Flycatcher photos in his yard and at the refuge in Oklahoma.

Great Crested Flycatcher perched in an oak, Sebastian County, ArkansasGreat Crested Flycatcher perched in an oak – Canon R7, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 4000, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light

I hadn’t been around Great Crested Flycatchers since I left Florida in 2009, so it was thrilling to see and hear them again. The first Great Crested Flycatchers I saw on my trip were at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. That flycatcher was near a Red-headed Woodpecker nest. The flycatcher was at a distance, and even though I took photos, the bird appeared very small in the frame.

I could hear these flycatchers in Steve’s yard and caught glimpses of them flying by. Three days before I left Arkansas I was sitting on Steve’s deck with his Canon R7 in my hand when a Great Created Flycatcher flew in and landed on a dead branch in his oak tree.

Of course I had to photograph it!

Adult Great Crested Flycatcher in Arkansas, Sebastian CountyAdult Great Crested Flycatcher in Arkansas – Canon R7, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 6400, Canon RF 100-500mm at 500mm, natural light

Maybe the Great Crested Flycatcher wasn’t as close to me as I would have liked, but I was still thrilled to have this bird in my viewfinder and to be able to take images of it. I’ve found this species to be a touch elusive, almost always hidden by leaves, and hard to get images of out in the open.

Just one or two days later, while I was sitting on Steve’s deck focused on the birds at his feeders, one of the Great Crested Flycatchers flew in and landed on a nearby nest box. By the time I saw it and turned the camera towards the flycatcher, it had flown away. If I had been able to capture that image, the flycatcher would have filled the frame. Oh well.

Life is good even when you miss the shot.

Mia

Click here to see more of my tyrant flycatcher images.