A couple days ago I received notice from a birding group that a Vermilion Flycatcher was spotted in south Baton Rouge, at a termite facility on Ben Hur Road. The area is a bit remote with an old two-lane road dividing the land which is mostly designated for the LSU Agricultural Center. The Vermilion Flycatcher rarely gets this far north, so it's a big deal. I met over a dozen birders and photographers in the span of 2 hours.

As I drove there around 9AM, I had some quiet time with God, thanking Him for all our blessings, and for also helping me with this photo project. Even though there were ups and downs, I asked to end on a high note.

I named this guy 'Ben Hur' since that's the road he's currently residing on. It was fun watching him dive gracefully for insects and bring them back to his preferred perch: the ugly, rusty fence. I so wanted to get him perched on one of the many trees, or get a closer look, but he did not cooperate. I'm used to wildlife being uncooperative.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes the male as "A feathered ember." This bird is very small, yet you can't miss the vibrant red feathers, even from a great distance. 

361/366Ben Hur
400mm | f/7.1 | ISO 400 | 1/1600 sec