Friday, May 04, 2007

The Hummingbirds are back


I am in full birding mode right now. Yesterday afternoon I spotted a male ruby-throated hummingbird at our new feeder. This feeder not only has an ant moat, but it also has perches that make it more comfortable for the little fellow to drink. Yesterday was an interesting birding day anyway since I observed two male rose-breasted grosbeaks under our feeder in the early morning. Then I went to Beechwood were I was disappointed at the amount of birds I saw. There were no bluebirds at all and I only saw one warbler. Even the feeders weren't very popular. Where have all the birds gone? Apparently, they all come to our feeders. It seems indeed that all the action happens in our own backyard at the moment. The juncos are probably gone now, but I photographed both white-throated and white-crowned sparrows a few days ago.

Sometimes I wonder why I love photographing birds. They never land on the branch I want them to land on, they move with lightning speed, and when I finally focus on their eye, they turn their head and my focusing job goes out the window. Nine out of ten of my photos go right into the digital trash bin, but the tenth photo is a thrill. Like the photo of an eastern towhee I show here, it is exhilarating when everything comes together: sharpness, action, a great looking bird and a decent background. And if I can photograph a species I haven't collected yet, so much the better.

Happy spring, everybody!

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