Photography I Shoot Birds ... With A Camera

[Caffeinated Joy]

Have some whiskeyjacks! These friendly fellows love taking nuts from your hand. Their favourites are almonds and walnuts. These were shot with a Canon Rebel T6i. If you want the details on what camera settings I used, just let me know. Keep in mind, I'm still learning, and though I've been doing this for a few years, I'm not an expert. This is my hobby.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

We have beautiful cedar waxwings here year round, but they're more commonly seen in the late spring and summer when the berries on the tree outside my bedroom window are plentiful. They are a striking, sleek, crested grey bird with brown accents, a black mask, a yellow band at the tip of the tail and red tipped wings. The red on their wings looks like speckles of wax, giving them their name. You can tell they're around when you hear their high pitched, trilling bzee call, or a kind of sighing whistle that raises in pitch at the beginning. I had a lot of photos taken of them, but I was in such a rush to catch them before they darted off, because they do dart, so I tried to use my telephoto lens without a tripod, which was a mistake, but a learning experience. These are the only 2 to work out decently, because this fellow actually stayed still for a minute. It's a shame, because I had some shots of a couple in mid flight, so you could see the beautiful colouring. Ah well. I'm hoping to get more when my tree gets berries again this year.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

I found some old pictures of a chickadee I had fun chasing down with my camera. He barely stood still for more than one or two seconds before flitting off again to another branch on the the tree, and for each successful shot I took, I had about 50 blurred grey and black bird shapes. I'm going to try getting shots of the chickadees in flight this year, but I'm going to really have to experiment with by settings to get it right. This tiny little boy is so frikkin' cute I almost can't bear it. To give you some perspective, the largest branches in these picture are maybe 1.5 cm diameter.

If I could juuuust stretch...a little...more...

Eh, forget it. I'll eat this one.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

We interrupt our regularly scheduled thread of bird photos to being you another treat! Fuzzy bee bum!

 

[kibou]

I love birds, and I love these photos. Are the first ones wild and tagged or at a sanctuary or something?

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

I love birds, and I love these photos. Are the first ones wild and tagged or at a sanctuary or something?

Thank you! I love birds, too. They're wild and tagged birds at a park up on Mount Washington near Comox, on Vancouver Island in BC, Canada. Whiskey jacks are also known as grey jays, and they're members of the Corvid family. They're inquisitive and quite fearless, and commonly found in the higher elevations of coniferous forests. When they take the nuts from your hand, they'll spend a moment rolling it around on their tongue to coat it in their saliva before taking off. Their saliva is really sticky, and they take the nut and hide it in the crevasses along the bark of a tree to save for when they're hungry.

 

[Mirie]

I love your photos they are so beautiful! And those birds are so stunning!
I think I love your photos of cedar waxwing the most? The composition is just phenomenal. And the chickadee is so adorable

 

[Sorin]

These are beautiful! I'm convinced you're a certified Disney Princess.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

I love your photos they are so beautiful! And those birds are so stunning!
I think I love your photos of cedar waxwing the most? The composition is just phenomenal. And the chickadee is so adorable

Thank you so much! There's a nest of chickadees in the shrubberies lining the fence of the building next door, and they sure make the most adorable racket when it's feeding time.

I want to take more pictures this year, and hopefully get some good shots of the Northern flickers around here. I need a new tripod though, so it has to wait until then.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

These are beautiful! I'm convinced you're a certified Disney Princess.

Ha ha ha! Thank you. I don't know about the Disney Princess part. My hair isn't long enough. Nor am I svelt enough (my booty is too juicy, and bust too busty). i'd love to see Disney create a short haired, curvy princess, though.

 

[Sorin]

Ha ha ha! Thank you. I don't know about the Disney Princess part. My hair isn't long enough. Nor am I svelt enough (my booty is too juicy, and bust too busty). i'd love to see Disney create a short haired, curvy princess, though.

It's not about the appearance, it's about the energy. Even men and NB folk can be Disney princesses. And you, my friend, have the energy. But also same. I'm also a short-haired and curvy lady that'd like to see that.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

It's not about the appearance, it's about the energy. Even men and NB folk can be Disney princesses. And you, my friend, have the energy. But also same. I'm also a short-haired and curvy lady that'd like to see that.

Well, I do like to sing. And I am known to break into song at random moments (triggered by a phrase, or something I see....) And birds do like to visit my patio, even though I haven't got any bird food outside (not allowed by building management, damn it) So I'll take it, and thank you for it.

 

[Sorin]

Well, I do like to sing. And I am known to break into song at random moments (triggered by a phrase, or something I see....) And birds do like to visit my patio, even though I haven't got any bird food outside (not allowed by building management, damn it) So I'll take it, and thank you for it.

I have to ask, though, do you have a favorite kind of bird that you enjoy interacting with/seeing?

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

I have to ask, though, do you have a favorite kind of bird that you enjoy interacting with/seeing?

Hmmm...that's a really good question. I don't know I have a single favourite, but a few different favourites for their own reasons. I love the Corvid family of birds simply because they're so intelligent and curious. It makes them entertaining to watch and interact with. I have a crow who visits my patio (even when I'm out there) to hide peanuts and other crow snack related items in my planters. It's very camera shy, though, and won't come near when i have it out. I love the house finches (who I have not posted pictures of yet). The males have a beautiful rosy red head, upper breast and rump, but their song is what makes them shine. It's a long, warbling, acrobatic arrangement of notes you can't mistake for another bird. I think, though, my favourite birdd song is the robin's. It's remarkably intricate, lilting and varied, but, if you pay attention, you can hear it change in the evening, to something remarkably complex. During the long twilight days their evening song can stretch out for hours.

I could on about more birds. I love them. The raptors, the thrush family, the finches, water fowl...and the rest. I love them all. Heck I love animals, full stop. My best friend moved the middle of BC, which is a 9 hour drive in good weather, but I'd love to visit him there some time. He has parrots, a turkey vulture, a falcon, an owl and a plethora of cats. I'd be so shutter happy. LOL.

 

[Sorin]

Hmmm...that's a really good question. I don't know I have a single favourite, but a few different favourites for their own reasons. I love the Corvid family of birds simply because they're so intelligent and curious. It makes them entertaining to watch and interact with. I have a crow who visits my patio (even when I'm out there) to hide peanuts and other crow snack related items in my planters. It's very camera shy, though, and won't come near when i have it out. I love the house finches (who I have not posted pictures of yet). The males have a beautiful rosy red head, upper breast and rump, but their song is what makes them shine. It's a long, warbling, acrobatic arrangement of notes you can't mistake for another bird. I think, though, my favourite birdd song is the robin's. It's remarkably intricate, lilting and varied, but, if you pay attention, you can hear it change in the evening, to something remarkably complex. During the long twilight days their evening song can stretch out for hours.

I could on about more birds. I love them. The raptors, the thrush family, the finches, water fowl...and the rest. I love them all. Heck I love animals, full stop. My best friend moved the middle of BC, which is a 9 hour drive in good weather, but I'd love to visit him there some time. He has parrots, a turkey vulture, a falcon, an owl and a plethora of cats. I'd be so shutter happy. LOL.

I'm so glad you mentioned crows, they're my favorite bird! We have a murder that likes to hang around my apartment complex, but I don't have the eye for photography, so I never catch 'em on camera. I love to see them though!

 

[vividmilktea]

Stunning photos! Love the ones with full view of their wings!

 

[Daisie]

WHAT?!! THIS IS A THREAD??
Where have you been all my life?? I love this so much, this just makes my day

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

Stunning photos! Love the ones with full view of their wings!

WHAT?!! THIS IS A THREAD??
Where have you been all my life?? I love this so much, this just makes my day

Thank you both so much. Once I can afford a new tripod, I'll be back at it.

 

[Wrennard]

I wasn't sure what to expect peeking into this thread - but your photos are absolutely GORGEOUS.

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

I wasn't sure what to expect peeking into this thread - but your photos are absolutely GORGEOUS.

Oh, my goodness, thank you!

 

[Blueskadoo]

Wow! These shots are beautiful!

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

Wow! These shots are beautiful!

Awe, thank you! I haven't been able to get a new tripod yet, and my old, wobbly one won't stay stable enough to get clear shots. I miss snapping bird pictures. I have some wonderfully sassy crows I want pics of.

 

[GhostCall]

the fuzzy bee is so cute!!

 

[Caffeinated Joy]

the fuzzy bee is so cute!!

I adore fuzzy bee bums. I have a couple different pictures I've taken.