I am enjoying my new camera. I am practicing the same skills I was when I last posted which means there are features on my camera I still don't know how to use. No matter. For the moment I am enjoying learning how to take pictures of birds at the feeder maintained at a nearby state park by volunteers from the Audubon Society. When I am ready to learn more about the camera, I will move on.
Today is National Bird Day so I will share a few bird photos. I find taking halfway decent photos of birds unexpectedly gratifying, especially when I share them on iNaturalist. The photos I'm sharing below aren't my best photos but the ones that I am learning from.
What I've learned so far:
I've learned that snow is hard to get the right light. The birds in the photos I took on a snowy day come out a little dark. See the American tree sparrow photo one below.
I've learned that autofocus may or may not always pick the right thing to focus on. I've had more than one picture with the sunflower seeds in the feeder in crisp detail while the bird an inch or two in front of that ever so slightly out of focus. See American Tree sparrow photo two.
I've learned that you have to take a lot of photos to get one or two good ones.
I've learned that cardinals are shy and flitty this time of year.
I've learned that birds are sometimes done with the feeders by 3:45 or so which is a disappointment when you get there at 3:50.
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| American Tree Sparrow One in Snow |
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| American Tree Sparrow out of focus |
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| Female Northern Cardinal. She never did hop into the sunshine. |
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| Male Northern Cardinal. Lucky shot. He didn't stay long. |
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| Male House Finch |
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| Black capped chickadee |
