One of the most striking birds around here are the eastern towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus). The have a very pretty combination of black, orange, and white with light colored eyes. They tend to be reclusive and shy and prefer to stay on the ground in the forest understory or up high in the leafy tree foliage. The main way that I spot one is to listen to their distinctive call and then watch for movement in the trees and underbrush. If you sit quietly and have patience they will sometimes come out where they’re more visible, but at the first sign of danger they’ll be off again. This handsome fellow was foraging on the ground when another bird flew into the brush. That movement in the brush was all it took and he was up and away. Usually once they go, they won’t be back any time soon. It’s worth the wait, though, to get to see and photograph these handsome birds.