I haven’t seen many migrating birds stop by the backyard this season, at least not yet. But the other day, when I was outside on the back deck, a blur of buttery belly caught my eye as a Great Crested Flycatcher dipped down out of the treetops and landed in a tangle of twigs.

There was actually a pair of them, but only one got in a clear enough spot for me to take a couple pictures.

He (or she) was perched pretty far from where I was standing with the camera, and he didn’t stick around long before heading back up to the leafy overhead branches, but hopefully they will hang out in the area and allow me to get some sharper shots before the season is over.

For now, I’ll just consider myself blessed that these beauties have returned.