There are probably a lot more exciting birds on the high drift prairies of North Dakota than the Yellow-headed Blackbird, but the fact is that North Dakota is about the only place I see them anymore…and there is no bird more striking than the YHBB. Males were defending territory at our last stop on the Drift Prairie Field Trip at the Potholes and Prairies Birding Festival yesterday, and I got my fill of them (for this year).

Canon SX50HS. My usual adjustments to straight program. 2400mm equivalent field of view (1200 plus 2x digital tel-extenter). f6.5 @ 1/1000th @ ISO 250. Processed in Lightroom.