Be instant in season

Scarlet Tanager!  Although we live well within their range, I don't recall ever seeing one of these birds and neither does my wife.

I was waiting in the car when spouse returned from her dentist appointment.  She told me there's a red bird in the crabapple tree.  I said "cardinal", but she said "no, it's red with black wings".  The camera was in the trunk, and my long zoom was not attached.  Went back to trunk and changed lenses (fumble, fumble).  By the time I was ready the bird had flown from the sea of white flowers in which it was sitting.  Imagine the photo that would have been!  The tanager then flew back and forth between two Austrian pines, and although not the greatest technical photo I was able to photograph the bird just after it captured two grubs from the tree bark. The bird was happily singing after it's meal and it didn't care that I was under the tree.

Note to self:  Be instant in season, 2 Timothy 4:2. In the car have the camera instantly available with your go-to 70-200 lens attached.  Then you will be ready for your opportunity. Today you got a shot, but it might have been much, much better.  Be instant in season.