How to gain attention

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Popular flower with insects

I couldn't help but be interested in a little bird that just kept chirping in the woods this past week.  I got out my camera and waited to see if I could catch a good shot.  It seemed fearless of me, and continued to fly nearby and perch on various branches, all the while chirping away.  After taking perhaps 30 pictures of this gregarious little one, I went to the bird book to find out who it was that I had encountered.  I discovered it was a Red-eyed Vireo.

Another day while walking on the long sandy driveway to the Wisconsin cabin I discovered a beautiful purple flower amidst all of the green trees and plants.  It attracted a steady stream of butterflies/moths and various other flying insects.  At one point I counted four different insects on this small flower at the same time.  When there aren't a lot of pretty flowers for pollinating, the few that are around get noticed!

Flower with butterfly

As I was taking pictures in the woods, or while going for a walk or run, I too noticed that I was gathering a considerable amount of attention.  I was a large red blooded target for deer flies, mosquitoes and wood ticks.  With few other warm blooded creatures around I was a popular host.

So, chirp loud if you're looking to be in a picture, be pretty and flowery to draw the attention of pollinators (and photographers) or simply have warm blood for those insects that are looking for their next victim!