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July 4, 2008

Friday Feathers

Been overly busy. Way busy. Too busy. Busy, busy, busy. Sorry I missed last week, couldn't be helped. *sigh*

Still busy. No time for 'splainin'. Here's a bird. Enjoy! :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (0)

June 20, 2008

Friday Feathers

Ahhh... the cardinal. A beautiful red bird that continues to elude me. I've yet to take a single photograph of this bird that I'm happy with.

The male (above) is striking with its rich red attire.

The female (above) is dull and less vibrant with its washed out hue. I'll never understand why the male is much more vibrant than the female.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

June 13, 2008

Friday Feathers

Here are a few photographs of the Yellow Crowned Night Heron. The photos were taken prior to my "big baby" episode; you know, before I was attacked by the Canadian Goose.

According to What Bird.com:

The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is listed as threatened in the state of New Jersey and endangered in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

A group of herons has many collective nouns, including a "battery", "hedge", "pose", "rookery", and "scattering" of herons."

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

May 30, 2008

Friday Feathers

This Common Grackle was busy racing around in the grass. Seems it had a prize in its beak...

... a shishkebab of worms.

Ew.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

May 23, 2008

Friday Feathers

Whenever I see this photograph of a Red-Bellied Woodpecker I'm reminded of the time I took it. It was weeks before I'd see the shot due to the fact that my laptop decided to up and die. Gone from my home base for a month of housesitting, I was stuck in a very rural area and therefore without access to any type of computer store. After shooting the entire 2GB of my camera's card, I took it to the nearest camera shop and had the photos transferred to disk. I may not have been able to review the photos each evening, but I couldn't imagine not using my camera. No laptop + no camera? I shudder at the thought.

This bird kept me company for the duration, dutifully showing up at the feeder every afternoon around 3:30 p.m. As long as there was food for it to eat, it would hog the feeder, linger between bites and happily pose for pictures. As long as the bird was happy, I was too.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

May 16, 2008

Friday Feathers

Here in NYC we often refer to pigeons as "flying rats." This particular bird is all over the place, swooping down on unsuspecting pedestrians and forcing them to duck for cover. Although they're more of a nuisance 'round this neck 'o concrete, every so often I come across one that is particularly striking.

I've no clue what type of pigeon this is (dare I refer to it as a "Rock Dove?" I'm not sure.) Regardless, here's the full body shot.

On a separate note, welcome Abraham Lincoln! Yes I can hear the chuckles clear across the country, but Abraham Lincoln is his given name and he resides in Ohio. He stopped by here on the advice of the divine Ms. Zoe of MBIAT, and he's an extremely talented bird photographer. You can read all about Abraham on his blogs: Brookville Daily Photo, My Birds Blog and the blog featuring his books.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

May 9, 2008

Friday Feathers

This is one of those shots where you ask yourself if you're really seeing what you think you're seeing. I kicked myself a number of times for not using a tripod when I took this photograph of a Black-Backed Gull and its "Got One!" pal, the Osprey next to it.

My photo stirred quite the debate over at the Birder's Forum where I queried its members as to the I.D. of the gull. Though some members did offer up an I.D., the conversation morphed into photography and whether or not the gull was in front, above or behind the Osprey, and did I take any other photographs to assist in their discussion. (I did, but not of the two together.) I should have known the bird next to the gull was an Osprey, but somehow I missed that fact. (Must be post-traumatic stress from my tango with the Canada Goose.) Now I know. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (6)

May 2, 2008

Friday Feathers

aka: "a big baby"

... parents often violently chase away nearby creatures, from small blackbirds to other geese, to humans that approach, after warning them by giving off a hissing sound.

In the few years that I've been photographing birds, I never once considered or thought about any type of danger. I'd think about where I was and what villains might be hiding behind a tree during bear season; then again, there was the time when I was driving and cut off by a pair of Turkey Vultures. Other than that, nah. What could a bird possibly do to me while I was out taking pictures?

The answer to that question came a week ago when I visited my favorite marine study area to photograph whatever birds I came across. As I walked in and surveyed the landscape, I came upon two gentlemen; one had binoculars and the other a camera. Mr. Binoculars, who I would later find out goes by the name of Paul, pointed out this Yellow-Crowned Night Heron not far from where we stood.

I quickly lifted my camera and took a few shots. Mr. Camera, whose name I didn't get, informed me that the geese were nesting. I don't recall my response, but I do remember that the information didn't really register in my brain. I was too busy scanning the skies, I suppose. Paul must have caught on that I didn't quite *hear* what Mr. Camera just shared with me. He turned to the sign behind us, pointed to it and told me the Canadian Geese were nesting and they were doing that very thing on both sides of the path. The sign informed the reader to not disturb the nesting geese. Not long after we parted company. The two gentlemen headed off to the path in front of us while I (of course) turned left.

The path I took loops around and back to near the entrance. I then followed the same path Paul and Mr. Camera had taken. 10 minutes later I saw a Canada Goose standing in the middle of the path ahead of me.

I froze, fearful of a goose on a path in front of me. To my right, about two dozen geeselettes (juveniles, but 'geeselettes' is what I named them) were busy gliding through the water. To the left of me, dried sea grass and other swampy "stuff" (for lack of a better description.) My head kept turning left-right-center, left-right-center. I was looking for nesting geese. I moved to my left to see past the shrubs where goose #1 was hanging out, and that's when I spotted goose #2.

In my mind, that Stealers Wheel song began looping, only there was a slight change of lyrics. Geese to the left of me, Geese to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you. One would think that an 8-foot tall Grizzly was in front of me, the way my heart was pounding. I could actually hear the rapid and hurried thumps - THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP - I'll admit to silently slinging some sixteen thousand expletives while praying I'd not die of heart failure over a bird. I mean really. I was headed toward the Osprey nest and the nesting geese would prevent me from getting there. Nah uh. No way. I was going to forge ahead with my plan.

Meanwhile back in the land of my now instant oatmeal brain, I pondered my options. Keep going and hope for the best or turn around and go back. I thought about the amount of time I'd been there -- not very long -- and additional, more colorful swear words slipped out of my mouth. What's that saying, listen to your gut? With that in mind, I turned around and started walking back to the entrance. Along the way, staff from the nature area whizzed past in a golf cart, headed in the direction I just came from. I decided to turn around and follow them, hoping they stopped nearby. A few minutes later I spotted them, and went off to inquire if I passed the goose, which was still there in the middle of the path, would it start freaking out (exact words.) One staffer replied, "Oh, that goose isn't nesting, you should be okay." Her colleague said, "The trick is to be as quiet as you can when walking past them (trick is the operative word, since the path is littered with broken shells) and act like you own the place -- it's about attitude." I thanked them and decided to proceed... with extreme caution.

Anyone who may have seen me walking (er, race walking) past that area could have easily spotted my fear. My camera, now melted into my body from absolute terror, became my armor. That goose is looking at me, I can feel it. Now it's hissing like a snake. Oh shit. DANGER! Will Robinson. DANGER! I flew past. Had there been a flight race between me and the hissing goose, I would have won... had I recovered from the sudden realization that I was surrounded by nesting, hissing geese. Holy shit. If I thought my heart was thumping wildly before, it was now out of my chest and lodged somewhere in my throat. I couldn't turn around because there were nesting geese, and god knows what lies ahead.

The STOP, OSPREY'S NEST sign barely registered in my brain. There would be no Osprey photos today, because I was in full survival mode. (I realize that's a bit extreme but my heart is in my throat, remember?) I blasted past a few more pairs of hissing geese and tried the "I own this place" attitude thingie the staffer suggested. After passing the pair unscathed, I came upon another photographer perched on a bench, hidden by reeds, and I think because I was so happy to see another human, blurted out (speed talking: excessive) "what a great spot for photographing the Osprey and how about those nesting geese?" He said that someone was nice enough to give him a large stick which he then showed to me. I nodded my approval, wondering how I missed the person giving out large sticks. But hey, I had my camera lens, and when fully extended it could serve as a weapon, if needed. Then I realized that no matter what, I couldn't beat a goose with my camera lens even if I wanted to. Nope. Can't do it. The geese are just doing what geese do when nesting and I'm the intruder. Best be getting along now, and so I continued on the path.

I rounded the corner and saw Paul (Mr. Binoculars) in front of me. Then I saw the goose in front of him. I stopped, lifted my camera, and photographed the goose. By this time I was relieved to see yet another human being. Somehow it calmed my nerves, and with Paul on the opposite side of the goose, surely there would be no problem passing the bird.

Or so I thought.

Paul was still a bit away from the goose as I began to walk toward, and hopefully past it. I recall hearing the now familiar hiss, and did a sort of front-back-front dance, moving ahead/back/ahead, and that's about the time when, in a split second, the goose attacked me. I heard its wings flapping, I saw its beak coming toward me. I have no idea if any comprehensible language sprang forth from my mouth. Forget the idea of using my lens as a weapon. Instinct had my eyeballs-to-villain-to-brain automatically lift my left arm, as the bird was headed in that direction. I turned my body to the right moving my left arm up to shield my head. It was quick, it was swift, and then I heard it.

Someone was laughing.

At first it sounded distant, from somewhere else. Then I heard it again. Laughter. Almost gut-wrenching, a tear-inducing guffaw that was ringing in my ears like an echo. Then I realized it was indeed laughter, and it was coming from Paul. Since he'd been behind the goose, he saw the entire goose debacle. And he found the goose attack amusing. Pfft. I can't recall what he said to me. All I know is that I begged him to walk with me out of that particular area and he called me "a big baby." I think I agreed. I think I said "yes that's right. I am." I don't know about y'all, but it's not every day that one is attacked by a goose. Little old ladies, yes, but geese? No.

I still don't know where and how things went awry, but as Paul walked with me, he proceeded to educate me about geese. I heard him say "they have no teeth" (true, but they're large birds with snappish beaks) "but their mouths are dirty, and if they get your bare skin, you'll get a rash." (Oh thank you very little.) Paul didn't get that I was traumatized, in a pure, absolute state of shock over what just happened. Minutes later he left me in a safe area, and I was on my way back to the entrance. I later found out that he's an Ornithologist. I asked him to share his eyewitness view of the moment I was goosed by the goose, and he graciously agreed. He writes:

As I saw you coming down the path from the Osprey nest area, the male goose started his offensive defense of his nest area. You showed fear and tried to walk by. He knows no fear and jumped up beating his wings and finally batting you with one. You courageously kept going which was good. He does this to everybody who comes by and generally wins so it has become a conditioned response. When I walked up, I started hissing before he did and he did not know what to do. He walked back towards the nest and kept looking over his shoulder at this crazy human hissing at him and not backing away!!

Lesson learned. Do my homework on nesting before venturing out... and carry a big stick. ;-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (6)

April 25, 2008

Friday Feathers

I think this Mourning Dove had a rough night.

:-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (6)

April 18, 2008

Friday Feathers

The Carolina Wren sings year-round. The male is known to sing up to 40 different song types, singing one song repeatedly before switching to another.

The female also sings, resulting in duets.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

April 11, 2008

Friday Feathers

Perhaps this one's a keeper?

Northern Mockingbird.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

April 4, 2008

Friday Feathers

Wir haben viel für einander gefühlt,
Und dennoch uns gar vortrefflich vertragen.
Wir haben oft "Mann und Frau" gespielt,
Und dennoch uns nicht gerauft und geschlagen.
Wir haben zusammen gejauchzt und gescherzt,
Und zärtlich uns geküßt und geherzt.
Wir haben am Ende aus kindischer Lust
"Verstecken" gespielt in Wäldern und Gründen,
Und haben uns so zu verstecken gewußt,
Daß wir uns nimmermehr wiederfinden.

We felt a good deal for each other,
Yet got on splendidly, heaven knows;
We often played "husband and wife" together,
Yet didn't inflict either scratches or blows;
We traded banter and frolicked and mugged,
And tenderly kissed each other and hugged.
At last we agreed in a sportive mood
To play "hide and seek" in thicket and wood,
And managed to hide so cleverly then
We never can find each other again.
- Heinrich Heine

American Goldfinch

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

March 28, 2008

Friday Feathers

One afternoon while photographing gulls I heard a familiar tapping. The sound didn't register immediately. Eventually I turned my head, looked up at the tree nearby, scanned the naked branches and then I saw it: a Downy Woodpecker. Ahh, that's where the tapping was coming from.

The problem with photographing birds in trees is when the wind kicks in. The tree branches shift and this sudden movement can make things difficult. Though the bird remains on the same branch you're focused on, branches waving in the breeze can sometimes get in the way. Depending on how high the bird is in the tree, this can turn into a bit of a dance for the photographer trying to capture the image. Birds move, so you move with them. After a lot of camera shifting to the left, right, up and down, you finally arrive at a clear shot. You press the shutter, check the display and think "hey, that's a keeper!"

I like both of these photographs. The first, because of the way the woodpecker is hanging from the tree branch, and the second because the bird's eye is (magically!) crystal clear. If only the branches didn't get in the way. *sigh* Next time I'll just climb the tree, cut down the offensive tree appendages, then take the picture. ;-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (7)

March 21, 2008

Friday Feathers

Photographing birds in flight has long been an exercise that I continue to practice whenever I can. There aren't many feathered ones around simply because a lot of the northeastern birds are currently on vacation. ;-)

Birds that don't leave include gulls, and I've taken a number of decent photographs of them. When I have my 200-500mm lens pointed up toward the sky after spotting approaching birds, I later discover that it's not just another gull in my view. Sometimes it's a completely different type of bird, like this Red-Tailed Hawk.

A common hawk of open country and in cities, the Red-Tailed Hawk circles over open fields and roadsides searching for prey. It is a large hawk with an amazing variety of colors from bird to bird, from chocolate brown to nearly all white. It has a rusty red tail which is usually seen only from above.

Though I've managed to freeze the bird in flight, the quality of the overall image is not ideal. Practice, hopefully, makes perfect. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

March 14, 2008

Friday Feathers

The American Robin is another bird that has offered me many opportunities to photograph it -- as long as I was quick enough to fire off the shot.

I've seen and photographed this bird many times and this image is one of very few I'm okay with. The more I look at the photographs I've taken of birds, the more I find something wrong with them. When I post a photograph here I usually think "well, it's an okay shot." Then y'all stop by and comment that the shot is really good. I guess I'm my own worst critic. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

March 7, 2008

Friday Feathers

Egret in black and white.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (8)

February 29, 2008

Friday Feathers

Each time I see this bird it pauses just long enough for me to capture its image. The White-Breasted Nuthatch seems to know instinctively that this photographer is nearby.

Out of all the birds I've photographed to date, this one never hesitates to "strike a pose." :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

February 22, 2008

Friday Feathers

This Pileated Woodpecker was happily hammering away on this tree branch up until the time it sensed danger. When a bird's internal alarm system sounds, they freeze in place until it's safe to move about again.

Hawks are the typical suspects; they perch in trees nearby just waiting for some unsuspecting bird to slip up, then swoop down and grab their prey. Evildoers. ;-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

February 15, 2008

Friday Feathers

This photograph of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird is one of my favorites.

I remember how time-intensive it was for me to capture just one shot of the tiny bird; I'd sit for hours near the feeder and wait for it to show up. Like clockwork, the hummingbird would stop by for a quick sip every 15 minutes or so, but they're very fast. I had my eyes glued to that feeder, quickly learning that if I shifted my gaze for a second they'd have shown up and flown away. After days of sitting in the same spot and shooting as quickly as possible, I finally captured a shot I was happy with.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

February 8, 2008

Friday Feathers

Here's a bit of a sunshine for early February: the American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) in its bright yellow attire.

I'll never understand why the male birds are prettier than the females. However, in the case of this Goldfinch, it endures a wardrobe change in the winter and looks very much like the dull and drab female.

On a photography/color/technical note, I noticed a color difference in the photo after I uploaded it. I did a screen grab of the image as it appears here (on the left) and the original (on the right marked with a yellow dot) image opened on my desktop.

The photo on the right is brighter and more detailed than the one on the left, which means that the photos I've featured here aren't rendering the way they should. *shrug*

Posted by Cindy | Comments (7)

February 1, 2008

Friday Feathers

This photograph of a Great Egret (Ardea alba) makes me think of summertime.

Since it's the first day in the usually frigid month of February, I thought I'd pretend I was somewhere warm... relaxing at the beach ... dusting my brain... ;-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

January 25, 2008

Friday Feathers

The male House Finch (below) is a huge disappointment for me. It's not about the photo, which I think is fine. It's the fact that I misidentified this bird. I really thought it was a Purple Finch but no such luck. After posting this photo in a forum, the birding experts confirmed its identification and told me, "You'll know a Purple Finch when you see one...

It may not be a Purple Finch but at least the shot is a good one! :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

January 18, 2008

Friday Feathers

Each time I see this week's feathered one, it's scaling a tree, or hanging upside down from a feeder or pulling itself up on the metal pole the feeder hangs from, only to slide down again and repeat the entire process until it realizes that flying is the quickest way to get there. :-)

The Downy Woodpecker was previously featured here, (how to tell the difference between the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers,) and here in a photo from 2006.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

January 11, 2008

Friday Feathers

I'm beginning to ponder the idea that this blog should have a different name, like The Feathered Ones instead of Dusting My Brain. I've not been at a loss for words but I suppose I've been at a loss for blog posting. But enough about that. Let's just move on to this week's featured feathered one.

The Dark-eyed Junco is a bird I've featured previously in this space. The difference is that I've not published this particular photo, which isn't a WOW! but more of a yeah, I like the colors and the fact that the bird is looking at me image.

By the way, most of the photos in Friday Feathers can be easily accessed via the Friday Feathers archives. In addition to that, I've set up a single page photo collection from the 2006 (when I started doing this feature) and 2007 posts (photos only.) If you're so inclined, I'm interested in getting your feedback. Which feathered photo is your favorite and why? :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

January 4, 2008

Friday Feathers

Here we are at the beginning of a new year and not a new bird in sight! Like I said in my last entry, January is typically a slow month for me when it comes to new bird photos. That doesn't mean there aren't any photos to post because I have many; it just means that I'll be digging through my photo archives for previously unpublished feathers.

I like to begin new years with the Blue Jay. There's something about this particular bird that intrigue me in a weird sort of way. They're beautiful, yet they squawk and squeal like nobody's business. I suppose that's why it's referred to as the alarm of the forest; it screams at intruders in the woods.

I'll bet these birds feign danger just so all the other birds fly away from the feeders. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

December 28, 2007

Friday Feathers

Here we are at the end of the year and in looking back over the past 12 months, it's hard to believe I've managed 52 weeks' worth of Friday Feathers posts. I'm not 100 percent sure that there are 52 Friday Feathers posts, and perhaps when I have nothing better to do I'll go through the entries and count them. Not that it matters much, but for some reason I'd be really surprised if I actually accomplished that small feat. To me, posting at least once a week is a feat unto itself, but I digress.

What better way to end a year's worth of photos than with the ever-elusive Northern Cardinal. This particular bird afforded me numerous opportunities to make a fool of myself, constantly chasing it around my mom's backyard in pursuit of that perfect photograph. I had a dozen or so chances to get the photo and somehow I've yet to capture the one that really wows me.

But hey, there's always next year, right? As was the case last time around, the new year typically gets off to a slow start photography-wise. Though I already have one photo to begin Friday Feathers 2008, I can only hope that I'll have some new photos to follow that one. We'll see what happens!

Posted by Cindy | Comments (9)

December 21, 2007

Friday Feathers

I photographed this Galah Cockatoo at a zoo. The bird is found in open country in almost all parts of mainland Australia.

This bird is easily identified by its rose-pink head, neck and underparts, with paler pink crown, and grey back, wings and undertail. Galahs have a bouncing acrobatic flight, but spend much of the day sheltering from heat in the foliage of trees and shrubs.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

December 14, 2007

Friday Feathers

I featured the European Starling in an earlier post; they always seem to be around and provide numerous opportunities to photograph them.

I think this particular Starling was a juvenile. It was difficult to tell given his perch atop a nearby roof, but it looked younger than the others that were around that day.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

December 7, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) is a medium-sized, white egret with slender black bill. Legs are black while feet are bright yellow. Head, neck and back have long, lacy plumes during breeding season. Sexes are similar.

Breeds locally from Oregon and California east to New England, mainly along coasts. Spends winters regularly from California, Arizona, and Virginia south to the West Indies and South America. Preferred habitats include marshes, ponds, swamps, and mudflats.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

November 30, 2007

Friday Feathers

The American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) is a perky yellow bird with a black patch on its forehead, black tail covering a white rump. There is a dramatic color change to this bird during winter, as the bright yellow becomes dull olive yellow.

Late summer nester, using silky down from wild thistle for its nest. Appears roller-coaster-like in flight and twitters during flight. Frequently called Wild Canary.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

November 23, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Downy Woodpecker (photo on the left) is a small woodpecker (6") with an all-white belly, black-and-white spotted wings, a black line running through its eyes and has a short bill. The Hairy Woodpecker (photo on the right) has a white belly and black wings with rows of white spots, is 9" and has a long black bill.

Often times the only way I can identify these woodpeckers is by the size of the bill, and that becomes a neat trick if I've photographed them and the bill isn't visible. Thankfully the profile images above made identification easier. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

November 16, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Common Grackle is a large black bird with an iridescent blue-black head. It has a purple brown body, long black tail, long thin bill and bright golden eyes.

The name is derived from the Latin word graculus, meaning "to cough" for its loud raspy call. Unlike most birds, it has larger muscles for opening the mouth (rather than for closing it) and prying crevices apart to locate hidden insects.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

November 9, 2007

Friday Feathers

Cut off by a pair of Turkey Vultures

So there I was, driving on a back road and puttering along in a beat-up pickup truck. It was cold outside but the sunshine and multi-hued trees made for a spectacular November afternoon. With my camera and lenses nestled in a bag next to me, I surveyed the countryside and inhaled its beauty. I planned to stop and photograph the scenery and was thinking about this when something caught my eye in front of the truck. I looked and saw what I thought were two turkeys flying almost into the hood of the truck. I jammed on the brakes to avoid hitting them and then pulled over to the side of the road. I turned off the ignition, got out of the truck and searched for the varmints, spotting them in a tree...

... they ain't no wild turkeys, thems turkey VULTURES that cut me off!

The vultures were directly above me and I quickly got back in the truck to change the lens on my camera. I've photographed these birds before, but they were always flying way up high and though I saw one up close once (they're VERY big and really ugly) I didn't have my camera with me at the time. Thankfully the zoom lens let me get a bit closer to them, but one flew off into another tree and hid itself in the branches. The other stayed put as I fired off as many shots as I could before it too took off. Damned varmints. ;-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

November 2, 2007

Friday Feathers

Friday Feathers on Monday, thanks in part to a 28.8 connection and my present remote location.

A photographer friend recently asked me, "Why birds?" -- meaning, why do I always photograph birds. In case you're new 'round these parts, the reason isn't riveting. I simply moved from photographing deer (though I still photograph them whenever I can) to birds; one day the deer didn't show up and I was yearning for something, anything to photograph. Then a bird flew past and that was that. A new challenge was born.

I am currently spending time in the woods, surrounded by trees shedding their summer greens in favor of yellow, orange and red attire, soon to be brown and eventually naked. I've got daily visitors -- deer that sit patiently nearby waiting for a bit of corn and birds that watch for the feeders to be hung each morning. Though I've referred to this place as BF Egypt (as mentioned 'round this time last year,) it not only offers peace and quiet away from city life but also the chance to don my hiking boots and traipse around the woods with my camera. To date, each day has brought a feathered surprise of one kind or another.

I'll start with this one (photo below.) I strained my eyes one morning to see what type of bird was on the side of a tree. Just when I thought it was a bird I'd seen before, I realized it was a new one. Though too far from me to see with my own eyes, I quickly lifted the camera to my eye, zoomed in and took a shot. Distance proved a disadvantage, but the lens was powerful enough to help me make out what type of bird it was -- a Northern Flicker, the first I'd ever seen and as of this writing, it hasn't returned. Bummer. Though it's a new addition to the list of woodpeckers I've seen, I can't yet include it in my photographic collection. I'll need a better shot before I do that.

Last year the Red-bellied Woodpecker appeared on a regular basis. This year, it seems highly skittish and actively avoids the suet I put out for it. I've seen it lurking around but only in the trees and on some branches. The photo that follows shows just how close I got -- NOT. *sigh*

It's been a while since I last saw a Blue Jay 'round here, but this alarm of the forest let me know it was nearby. I keep missing it when it perches on the pumpkin outside but one of these days I hope I'll be sneaky enough to catch it.

One afternoon I was sitting outside basking in the warmth of the sun when suddenly I heard a loud *THUD* I turned around just in time to watch as a Black-capped Chickadee began the first of five consecutive tumbles, wings flailing as it attempted to right itself. After expunging some black matter from its little body mid-roll it finally stopped and lay on its side taking deep breaths. I ran to get a pair of gloves and waited to see if the bird would stand up and take off but it didn't make any attempt to move. I put the gloves on and picked up the tiny bird and it just sat there clinging to the glove while trying to shake off its rollercoaster tumbles. After 5 minutes of trying to calm it down, I thought I'd slip the glove-and-bird off my hand, put it down on the deck and go get my camera (of course.) I took 3 shots and put the camera down and put the glove back on, and a few minutes later the chickadee flew off. Yay me, Doctor Feather -- or something. :-)

Last but not least, an old friend came to visit. When I heard its unmistakable call, which sounds more like a wicked laugh than anything else, I knew I had to grab the camera and follow that sound. I spotted the Pileated Woodpecker on a nearby tree so I hurried/walked carefully, hoping the crunching of the leaves under my boots wouldn't scare it away. The woodpecker was almost statue-like in its perch, and I soon realized that a hawk must be nearby because the woodpecker was in freeze mode. When hawks are around, all birds freeze up and play statue until the hawk flies off.

I suppose I should thank that hawk for stopping by, as it provided me with ample opportunity to photograph my favorite feathered one.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

October 26, 2007

Friday Feathers

Every so often I put the camera down, sit back in my chair and watch seagulls fly through the air, gracefully flapping their wings and gliding in the wind.

When I'm done meditating, I pick up the camera and my eyes scan the skies. I watch and wait, watch and wait while the gulls fly around high up in the sky. The moment I stop scanning, I miss the one gull that flew much lower or just passed overhead, close enough for me to photograph. Then as if it realized my quest, it would make a quick turn and fly lower in long, graceful circles above me, just enough to capture this:

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

October 19, 2007

Friday Feathers - Flubs

I spotted this Sharp-shinned Hawk while photographing seagulls this past weekend. It's rare for me to see hawks; the closest I got to one was while driving one day and a hawk flew past the front of the car.

This type of hawk is common to backyards and woodlands, often seen swooping in on birds visiting feeders. When I saw this one, it was high up in the air, flying in circles. I hoped it would fly closer and miraculously its circles were widening, providing me with ample opportunity to photograph it.

Unfortunately, the hawk didn't come as close as I would have liked, but I snapped away regardless of its distance from my lens.

When I reviewed the photos on my laptop, I had one of those damnit! moments, because the images were out of focus and had I used a more powerful lens, perhaps the shots would have been better. Then again, maybe not.

This was the third time I'd seen a hawk during the past two months. The first time I reacted too slowly with the camera and the images were blurred, the second time I was in a boat on a lake, pointing my camera toward a turkey vulture when a friend yelled out "Hawk!" I turned my camera and shot away, though the images also ended up blurred. I just have to keep practicing, and hope I'll have more opportunities to grab that single hawk image I'll be proud of!

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

October 12, 2007

Friday Feathers

A large bird with a red head and legs, the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) has up to a 6-foot wingspan. The vulture's naked head is an adaptation to reduce the risk of feather fouling (picking up diseases) from carcasses.

Unlike hawks and eagles, it has weak feet that are more suited to walking than grasping. It is one of the few birds that has developed a sense of smell and is mostly mute, making only grunts and groans. Recent studies indicate that this bird is closely related to storks, not birds of prey.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

October 5, 2007

Friday Feathers

While strolling through a marine nature study area last month, I knew I'd eventually come across a platform built for Ospreys. The platforms are man-made wooden towers built quite high up, so capturing images can be difficult unless you're using a zoom lens.

It was late morning, humid, and the temperature was extremely warm. The sky was a grayish-blue even though the sun was very bright. Signs along the path indicated that visitors should walk past the platform quickly so as not to disturb the osprey in the nest. Unable to linger and spend a lot of time taking a number of photographs using different settings, I did what I could in the few minutes I had.

When I enlarged the photograph above on my laptop there was a bit of surprise. When I took the photo all I could see were the two Osprey, the nest and nothing more. Here's what I didn't see:

Osprey offspring! At least three or four were nestled in the nest, leaving me wishing I'd had a more powerful lens to capture them.

As mentioned previously, lingering was not an option, and as I passed the platform I turned my head to see if the Osprey parents had moved and sure enough, one took off and landed on a post on the other side of the study area. I picked up the pace and got there as fast as I could, where the Osprey remained perched long enough for me to reach it (well within a safe distance) and take this photograph.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

September 28, 2007

Friday Feathers

I caught this female Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched on a tree branch; typically they're zooming and zipping past and not sitting still.

This female hummingbird is duller in coloring than the male, as is the case for most female birds. Regardless, she gave me a number of opportunities to practice what I refer to as motion freeze.

The image above is close to what I was aiming for but not quite there. Since the wings are blurred (yes it indicates motion but...) I'll just have to keep shooting until I get it right.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

September 14, 2007

Friday Feathers

This White-breasted Nuthatch had its eyes locked on something sticking out of the snow.

The bird's backside is the only part in the image that's really in focus.

I think this second image is much better than the first.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

September 7, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Great Egret was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s and early 1900s for its long white plumage.

I love photographing this bird, whether it's in flight or perched, as it was on the day I captured this image.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

August 31, 2007

Friday Feathers

The ever elusive Northern Cardinal must really enjoy watching me chase it with my camera. No matter how many photographs I've taken of it I'm still not satisfied. Last weekend I saw a family of cardinals and most were females. The female's feathers are a washed out red, almost pink, but the male cardinal's attire is a beautiful deep red. I'm still trying to get a single "oh wow!" shot of the male.

I've pursued the male cardinal since April 2003, when I was in upstate New York and happened to see one sitting in tree. That first photographic effort was without fancy telephoto lenses or equipment. I snapped it with my then trusty Sony DSC-85 (which I still have, btw.) This is that very first snapshot. I think I'll take a nap while I wait for you to find the bird. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Find it yet? I digress. :-)

It's four years later and I'm still pursuing this bird. To date, none of my cardinal shots are oh wows -- it's more like oh whatever. In my latest attempt I wasn't even trying to photograph a bird; I was busy photographing berries when a female cardinal flew right into my shot. She perched herself onto a branch and dipped her head to eat.

Here's a closeup.

Even though it's not the male cardinal I still (kind of) like these photos -- my critique of the photo is that it's okay, not "oh wow!" However, the vantage point is different, and that's what I like about the photo.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

August 24, 2007

Friday Feathers

Meet the sparrows.

A medium sparrow-like bird, the House Sparrow is one of the first bird songs heard in cities in the spring. Introduced from Europe to Central Park in New York City in 1850, it is now seen across North America. Note: there's at least ONE House Sparrow in the photos below. I think the ones above are female sparrows.

There are many different types of sparrows and other than the House Sparrow, it's not that easy to tell them apart. I usually ignore these birds when I see them since they're always around and not exactly a prime target of mine. Their coloring is bland and my previous photographic attempts to capture a decent shot brought lackluster results. Last weekend the weather was overcast and there wasn't much else around to shoot. I think the sparrows were daring me to photograph them, as I sat watching them fly in a group from their perch on a nearby roof, then to a tree and finally settling on the fence posts.

Blandness aside, I didn't actually see the action below until I transferred the photos to my laptop. I imagine the bird on the right screaming at the poor bird on the left.

I'm guessing the bird on the left was being scolded. :-)

Evidently these birds are not really sparrows but members of the Weaver Finch family, characterized by their large, oversized domed nests. The nests are constructed with scraps of plastic, paper and whatever else is available. It's an aggressive bird that will kill the young of other birds in order to take over a cavity.

In this photo, the second bird from the left is staring at me, while a bird next to it is peeking through the fence.

This last photo is a favorite; not in quality, but in the amusement I found with the sparrow-in-flight that appears ghost-like in the background above its relatives, as if it's saying, "I'm outta here!"

Posted by Cindy | Comments (7)

August 17, 2007

Friday Feathers

This little one is a juvenile Northern Mockingbird. I found it sitting quietly in a blue spruce tree, every once in a while calling out for its parents. (Feed me!)

Upon closer inspection, it looks as though the little guy is missing some feathers from its neck, which is pinkish and raw.

Perhaps the feathers haven't grown in just yet or he's got some sort of skin problem (I imagine profuse, frenetic scratching could be responsible for the missing feathers.) Then again, the bird might be moulting, but since its head feathers are intact, maybe not.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

August 3, 2007

Friday Feathers - Chow Time!

American Goldfinch :|: Tufted Titmouse :|: Downy Woodpecker

Black-Capped Chickadee :|: European Starling :|: Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Cardinal :|: White-Breasted Nuthatch

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

July 27, 2007

Friday Feathers - I See You, Too

Photographing birds is a challenge. First you have to find them, then you sit and pray the bird will stay in one place long enough to capture its image. Then you have to hope that the image is a decent one. If you want a certain type of shot, say, with the bird looking directly into the camera, well... I think that's pure luck. In all my forays into the woods and elsewhere, it's been a rare occurrence that the bird is looking in my direction. They're usually looking everywhere else but directly at the camera. When it happens and I manage to get the shot, the result always includes the inevitable out-of-focus beak or eyes.

Sometimes I'm lucky and the dead-on shots aren't so bad. Eyes are in focus and clear, and the out-of-focus beak isn't an issue. (I'm sure there's a way around this, I just haven't learned it yet.) Here are some of my favorites. AKA, the "I See You" set.

The American Robin in the photo above has a bit of a sinister look to it (they sing beautifully but always look angry or frantic), the Great Egret next to it looks as though it's making goofy faces on purpose and the Brown-headed Cowbird looks like Darth Vader.

The European Starling looks like a rock star, the Canadian Goose looks intense and the rooster doesn't look like it's ready for another cockadoodledoo (maybe a nap instead.)

I often wonder what the bird sees when it looks my way. I'm sure they're looking at the lens of my camera, perhaps they think it's the branch of a tree. I've read some stories where birds have actually perched on zoom lenses, so it wouldn't surprise me if a bird lands on mine one day. If one does, of course it will screw up the shot. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (8)

July 20, 2007

Friday Feathers - No longer stumped

Updated 7/26

The Yellow-Crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) is a medium-sized, stocky heron with gray body and brown-and-white mottled wings. Face is black and white; crown is pale yellow and sweeps back as a plume. Eyes are large and red. Bill is heavy and black. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has white-spotted brown upperparts and brown-streaked white underparts.

Food consists primarily of crustaceans, but also eats small fish, reptiles, amphibians, eels, insects, and mollusks; forages in open water, mud flats, and in partially submerged vegetation. - What Bird

I find myself in unfamiliar territory for this week's Friday Feathers entry; I can't identify this bird.

I have two books that I use for bird identification: Birds of New York and Field Guide to Eastern Birds. If that doesn't work I turn to the Web and try to find the bird using Whatbird.com or the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds guide.

A lot of variables go into the search. The bird's head and eye color, beak size, body shape, location, family and wing span. This bird looks like some type of heron, perhaps a juvenile, but I didn't find anything remotely similar to it.

What's throwing me off here is the black head and the white streak under its eye. I know I've seen that before as this particular bird looks very familiar, yet I've no clue what it is. Any idea?

Posted by Cindy | Comments (8)

July 13, 2007

Friday Feathers

A medium-sized tern with pale gray upperparts, black cap, and white underparts, the Forster's Tern has an orange bill with black tip. Wings are pale gray with paler primaries. Tail is pale gray and deeply forked with dark inner edge and white outer edge. Legs and feet are orange.

Sexes are similar. Winter adult lacks black cap but has distinctive black eye patch, gray streaks on head, dark bill, and dull orange legs and feet. Juvnile resembles winter adult but has brown markings on back, nape, head, and upperwings that fade and orange-based black bill that darkens by end of summer.

Diet consists mostly of fish, but also eats insects, small crustaceans, mollusks, frogs, and tadpoles. Catches fish at surface or by plunge diving into water from a perch or a hover; catches insects on the wing or on the water surface; reportedly eats dead fish and frogs exposed by receding ice; occasionally eats bird eggs.

Posted by Cindy

July 6, 2007

Friday Feathers - Bath Time!

Don't forget your underarms! :-)

This Scarlet Tanager was perched on a tree branch that hung just above a water sprinkler.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

June 29, 2007

Friday Feathers - Favorites

Here are a few photos I took recently of a Hummingbird perched on an antenna.

Regardless of the sugar water and red plants readily available for ingestion, this particular Hummingbird chose instead to stay where it was. The bird would rarely show up at the feeder or the plants, and the only time I managed to get a shot of it was when it sunned itself up on the roof of the house.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

June 22, 2007

Friday Feathers

I managed to get some photographs of juvenile American Robin chicks in their nest, which was well hidden in a shrub. This was a first for me, as the nests I've come across in my photographic pursuits have all been empty.

Not long after taking this photograph, I watched as the juveniles were frightened right out of their nest, falling to the ground and scurrying in every direction. Perched up on a nearby tree branch, their parents came swooping down in a ballistic frenzy, literally screaming and flying around in circles and hovering close by in an effort to keep an eye on them. There was nothing I could do but observe as the parents looked after their young and let nature run its course.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

June 15, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) lives high up in trees, rarely coming to the ground and is often heard before seen.

It has extra long feathers on top of its head (crest), which the bird raises when alert or agitated. Frequently stuffs its nest with a collection of fur, feathers, string and snakeskins.

Posted by Cindy

June 8, 2007

Friday Feathers - Flubs

Freezing the flight of my feathered friends is something that I really need to practice more often. One day this Northern Mockingbird provided many opportunities to do just that. The mockingbird's wings and tail have a white patch that's visible only when expanded, and it makes photos of this bird a bit more interesting.

Obtaining photos that were 100 percent in-focus and freezing the motion wasn't in the cards the day I shot this bird. As is often the case, I didn't have my tripod with me and was hand-holding the hefty zoom lens. Camera shake was inevitable.

In the set below, the photo on the right is in focus but there was something about it that didn't have me jumping for joy. I think it has something to do with the expansion of one wing and not both.

In this last set, the photo on the left is sharp but did I really want a photo of the back of the bird? Sure it's a good photo in that you get to see the wings and tail spread out, but other than that, I don't know.

In the photo on the right, the bird's face is in focus but everything else is a bit fuzzy. *shrug*

Posted by Cindy | Comments (7)

June 1, 2007

Friday Feathers

The female Scarlet Tanager is a drab, greenish-yellow bird with olive wings, tail and has dark eyes. The common name "Tanager" comes from a South American Tupi Indian word meaning "any small, brightly colored bird."

The male Scarlet Tanager sheds (molts) its bright red plumage in the Fall, appearing more like the female.

This is a tropical-looking bird that prefers mature woodlands, where it hunts for insects high in the tops of trees. It arrives late in Spring and leaves early in the Fall.

Posted by Cindy

May 25, 2007

Friday Feathers - In the Zoo

What the sign says. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

May 18, 2007

Friday Feathers

A year-round resident of New York state, the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) is a large gray goose with a black neck and head and a white chin or cheek strap.

Adults will mate for many years, but only start to breed in their third year. Males often act as sentinels, standing at the edge of their group and bobbing their heads up and down, becoming very aggressive to anybody who approaches. Will hiss as if displaying displeasure.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

May 11, 2007

Friday Feathers - the unsalted peanut test

I'd read in some bird book that the feathered ones love unsalted peanuts, so I decided to test that theory one day. A handful of peanuts placed in an open area and it wasn't long before the usual suspects (Tufted Titmice and Black-capped Chickadees) showed up.

The Tufted Titmouse in the photograph above kept coming back; it would take a peanut, fly away and repeat the process until all the nuts were gone. From a photography standpoint, the test provided many opportunities to catch the birds as they grabbed a meal or six. And there ya have it. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

May 4, 2007

Friday Feathers - Favorites

For years I've chased a Northern Cardinal around my mom's backyard. I could never quite manage to get a good photograph of it no matter how many shots I took. I became so obsessed with this particular bird that my mom would call out to me to grab my camera because the cardinal was in a tree nearby. I'd drop whatever I was doing and run off in hot pursuit.

I recently renewed my seemingly never-ending chase of the cardinal, and either my photographic skills have improved or it was pure luck, but I was nonetheless pleased with the result. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

April 27, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is an iridescent green bird with a black throat patch that reflects bright ruby red in the sun. No other bird is as tiny, its size a mere 3-3 1/2 inches (7.5-9 cm).

Can hover, fly up and down, and is the only bird to fly backward. Does not sing, but will chatter or buzz to communicate. The wings create a humming noise, flapping 50-60 times each second or faster during chasing flights. Its heart pumps 1,260 beats per minute, and it breathes 250 times per minute. Attracted to tubular red flowers.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

April 20, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a glossy black bird that has a chocolate brown head and a pointed, sharp gray bill. This bird is a member of the blackbird family.

Lays eggs in the nests of other birds; incubation and raising of the young is done by the other birds.

The Cowbird's song can be heard here.

Posted by Cindy

April 13, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) is a plump, rusty red sparrow with a heavily streaked, rust-colored breast and solid rust tail. Its head and back are mottled with gray.

One of the largest sparrows, often seen only under seed feeders during migration. Scratches like a chicken with both feet at the same time to find food.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

April 6, 2007

Friday Feathers

The American Robin can be heard singing all night long in the springtime. The male is a familiar gray bird with a rusty red breast, nearly black head and tail. It has a white chin with black streaks and a white eye-ring. The female is similar but with a gray head and duller breast.

Their eyes are placed far back on the sides of its head. This particular bird is often seen fighting its own reflection in windows.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

March 16, 2007

Friday Feathers - Using Filters

I typically don't tweak photos I've taken unless the image needs a bit of fine tuning via Photoshop's brightness/contrast or the Curves tool. I never used the filters in Photoshop and one day decided to test each one using this photograph of a Blue Heron.

Though the Heron is frozen mid-flight (yay!) the focus is off and the quality of the image a bit muddy. After applying a number of different filters to the image, I then tried the Artistic/Poster Edges filter. I really liked the effect this particular filter had on the image; it made muddy areas a bit sharper and converted the image into one that looks like it was hand-painted.

I liked the effect of this particular filter so much that I tested on my entire folder of Heron photographs and plan to have one of the photos enlarged and printed for framing. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

March 9, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Northern Mockingbird is very animated and performs an elaborate mating dance. Pairs run toward each other flashing wing patches and then retreat to cover nearby.

Sits for long periods of time on top of a shrub and imitates other birds (vocal mimicry), hence the common name. Young males often sing at night.

Often unafraid of people, allowing for close observation.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

March 2, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) is a round, dark-eyed bird that has a slate gray-to-charcoal chest, head and back, and a white belly.

Adheres to a rigid social hierarchy, with dominant birds chasing less dominant birds. Usually seen in small flocks on the ground, where it "double-scratches" with both feet simultaneously to expose seeds and insects. Nests in a variety of wooded habitats.

Posted by Cindy

February 23, 2007

Friday Feathers

A fantastic songster, the Baltimore Oriole is usually heard before seen. Easily attracted to a feeder offering grape jelly, orange halves or sugar water (nectar). The female Baltimore Oriole is a pale yellow bird with orange tones, gray brown wings, white wing bars, a gray bill and dark eyes.

The male Baltimore Oriole is a bright flaming orange bird with black head and black extending down the nape of its neck onto its back. Black wings with white and orange wing bars, an orange tail with black streaks. Gray bill and dark eyes.

Sits in tops of trees feeding on caterpillars. Female builds a sock-like nest at the outermost branches of tall trees. Often returns to the same area year after year.

Posted by Cindy

February 16, 2007

Friday Feathers

The Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae, is a familiar Australian carnivorous bird of the Kingfisher family, well known for its call. Previously known as the Laughing Jackass, it is now best known by its aboriginal name.

This bird has a large head, a prominent brown eye, and a very large bill. It is known for its "laugh" which it uses to greet its mate after periods of absences. It can be heard at any time of day but most frequently shortly after dawn and especially when the color drains from the forest after sunset.

Posted by Cindy

February 9, 2007

Friday Feathers - Closeups

I never intended to photograph birds. I'd been caught up in photographing deer and shooting what I considered portraits of them. Unfortunately the deer never showed up one day and I wanted to shoot something, anything other than trees, plants, leaves, etc. The birds were all around and I thought it would be an excellent challenge for me to get a decent shot of them.

My first photographs of birds were taken with a Sony Cybershot. Though it's a decent digital camera, it's not exactly the ultimate when it comes to bird photography. You're severely limited by the simple fact that you cannot change the lens -- it is what it is. When I got the Nikon D50, you can imagine how delighted I was to be using a camera where I could change the lens!

The first lens I got after the 18-55mm that came with the D50 was a 70-300mm, a lightweight lens that helped me get closer to my subject. Then came the 200-500mm lens and, well, I was in heaven... kind of. I knew the power of that lens and about the only complaint I have about it is its weight. Though hand-held shots are indeed possible, you really have to concentrate on keeping that lens steady in your hands, or else. Using a tripod with a lens that large would be the norm, but I've yet to become best buddies with my tripod simply because I find using one extremely limiting. I think I see too many disasters waiting to happen, such as rushing to get a shot of a bird only to knock the tripod over, sending the camera and that big lens crashing to the ground. *shudder* The other thing is that it is not easy to follow a bird in flight when the camera isn't hand-held. You have to be able to maneuver the camera sometimes in a split second otherwise you miss the shot -- and I've missed many because I couldn't flex the tripod fast enough.

When it became evident that I was hooked on photographing birds (though I still photograph deer whenever they're around), I went to the bookstore in search of books written by bird photographers. I found one that became my bible. It is written by David Tipling, a professional wildlife photographer. Mr. Tipling shares a wealth of valuable information in his book, and the photographs he's taken are spectacular. The one tip that popped out for me (remember I am a beginner here) is to focus on the bird's eyes.

I got into the habit of zooming in on a bird's head. I was going for that shot where you could actually see the color of a bird's eyes. Some are black, some are brown, some are yellow. Who knew? The eyes were never the primary focus for me; instead I was attempting the bird-in-flight shots or a full-body, standing still one. Then I moved to closeups, and I now have a folder of headshots that have become favorites. The red-bellied woodpecker in the shot above has become an all-time fave, as this particular woodpecker has afforded me numerous opportunities to photograph it, resulting in a number of photos I'm particularly proud of.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

February 2, 2007

Friday Feathers - Flubs

This photograph of an egret was taken at a wildlife sanctuary. My 200-500mm zoom lens was new and I couldn't wait to try it out.

Unfortunately I forgot my tripod and instead had to steady the hefty lens in my hands, as there was nothing around me I could lean the camera against (railing, post, etc.) The egret was about to land and I lifted the camera to take the photograph. It's one of the first few photographs I took with the new lens. Thankfully I became used to the weight of the lens and managed to keep it steady for subsequent shots. Though this particular lens can indeed be used successfully without a tripod, it took some time to get used to its weight.

Posted by Cindy

January 26, 2007

Friday Feathers - Flubs

Almost doesn't count except in horse shoes and hand grenades.

It's either a Mockingbird or a Thrasher but it doesn't matter. The photograph was taken on a sunny afternoon. The sky was blue, no clouds, and most likely the camera setting was on automatic. The photo looked good on the camera's display but it was something entirely different when transferred to the computer.

The background is fine, but where the hell is the bird's face? Great that the bird was busy singing or chirping so its beak was open -- that's a plus -- but that funky, dark hue is hiding the bird's face, and I want to see its eyes.

I dragged the photograph into Photoshop and used the Curves Tool to lighten the image. Doing so blows the blue background right out of the photo and turns the tree branch into a moldy looking green but hey, there's the bird's face and now I can see its eyes.

Though I manage to get a clear look at the bird after the fix, with the blue background gone and the branch color not exactly what it should be, the photograph is a miss.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

January 19, 2007

Friday Feathers - Flubs

Look! Up in the tree! What IS that orange thing up there?

It was a bird I'd never seen before, so I stood there for a few minutes craning my neck, my eyes locked onto it, watching as it flitted from branch to branch, completely forgetting about the camera in my hands. It then occured to me that I should take some photographs.

I wouldn't know what type of bird it was until closer inspection of the photos I took. A quick check to my bird guide brought the surprise that it was a Baltimore Oriole. I'd never seen one before. When I viewed the shot at 100 percent, this is what I saw:

*bummer*

I've not seen an oriole since.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

January 12, 2007

Friday Feathers - Flubs

Last week when I posted that Friday Feathers would be in a holding pattern until I had new photos, reader Steve asked me to post some imperfect photos in the meantime. I thought this was a terrific suggestion, just to give you an idea of how hypercritical I am about my photographs.

Below is a recent photograph I took of a White-breasted Nuthatch. Using my Tamron 200-500mm zoom lens on my Nikon D50, I pointed the camera up toward a nearby tree and spotted the Nuthatch way up high on a lone branch. The sky was a brilliant blue and looking through the viewfinder, the setup seemed perfect.

I took the shot, checked it on the display and it looked good. When I finish my shooting for the day, I then transfer the photographs to my laptop and review what I've shot. With the photographs ported into Nikon's Picture Project software, I view them in slideshow mode and immediately delete the obvious blurred and botched images. All files are saved to my desktop, backed up to an external CD and then further inspection takes place via Photoshop or Apple's iPhoto.

To me, I've taken a good photograph when I enlarge it and everything is crystal clear and in focus and nothing is blurred, backgrounds are pleasing to the eye and nothing is distracting, such as errant tree branches, etc. I really liked the photograph above until I enlarged it and saw that the bird was out of focus:

As a beginning photographer, I have taken numerous photographs and soon realized that I didn't want to spend a lot of time altering a photograph in Photoshop or iPhoto. Tweaking a photo (brightness, contrast, etc.) is okay once in a while, but I am aiming for those photos where it isn't necessary to fix anything. I now save only those photographs which meet that criteria, even though I managed to find some in my photo library that fall under the "flubs" category.

I'll continue posting flubs on Fridays until, as stated previously, I have photographs of birds that haven't appeared previously on this blog. Sure, I have many different photos of birds, but each bird has already had its 10 minutes of fame in this space. One more thing. Contrary to the impression that I have a huge garden, I am not that fortunate. The majority of the bird photographs featured here have been taken outside of NYC.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

January 5, 2007

Friday Feathers

Until I've got some new bird photographs to put here, Friday Feathers will be in a holding pattern. However, the full collection of Friday Feathers photographs from 2006 can be found here.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

December 29, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a large, bright light blue and white bird with a black necklace.

Known as the alarm of the forest, screaming at intruders in woods. Highly intelligent bird, solving problems, gathering food and communicating more than other birds. Will scream like a hawk to scatter birds at a feeder. One of the few birds to cache food; its feathers don't have blue pigment; refracted sunlight casts blue light.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

December 22, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) is a medium-sized, white egret with slender black bill. Legs are black while feet are bright yellow. Head, neck and back have long, lacy plumes during breeding season. Sexes are similar.

Breeds locally from Oregon and California east to New England, mainly along coasts. Spends winters regularly from California, Arizona, and Virginia south to the West Indies and South America. Preferred habitats include marshes, ponds, swamps, and mudflats.

Posted by Cindy

December 15, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) mates for the long-term, remaining together throughout the year in permanent territories.

Sings year-round, and the male is known to sing up to 40 different song types, singing one song repeatedly before switching to another. Female also sings, resulting in duets. Nests in birdhouses, unusual places such as mailboxes, bumpers of cars or broken taillights, or in nearly any other cavity.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

December 8, 2006

Friday Feathers

A familiar duck of lakes and ponds, the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is considered a type of dabbling duck, tipping forward in shallow water to feed on aquatic plants on the bottom.

The male has a large, bulbous green head, white necklace, rust brown or chestnut chest, a combination of gray and white on the sides, a yellow bill, orange legs and feet.

The name "Mallard" comes from the Latin masculus, meaning "male," referring to the habit of males not taking part in raising ducklings.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

December 1, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) is striped like a zebra and has a distinctive black-and-white striped cap, white belly, black chin and cheek patch.

This warbler's song sounds like a slowly turning, squeaky wheel. Female will perform a distraction dance to draw predators away from the nest. One of the first warblers to return in spring, and the only warbler that moves headfirst down a tree trunk.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

November 24, 2006

Friday Feathers

Male House Finch.

Not the Purple Finch I originally thought it was. *sigh*

Posted by Cindy | Comments (5)

November 17, 2006

Friday Feathers

Males are called toms, females are hens, young are poults. The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a large, plump brown and and bronze bird with a blue and red bare head. It has a fan tail and a long, straight black beard in the center of its chest.

A strong flier; it can fly straight up, then away. Eyesight is three times better than human eyesight. Hearing is excellent; able to hear competing males up to a mile away. Males hold "harems" of up to 20 females. Roost in trees at night.

The Wild Turkey is the largest native game bird in New York and the bird from which the domestic turkey was bred. It almost became our national bird, losing to the Bald Eagle by one vote.

Posted by Cindy

November 10, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a tall gray heron with black eyebrows that extend into several long plumes off the back of its head.

Flies holding its neck in an S shape, with its long legs trailing straight out behind.

The juvenile is the same as the adult, but more brown than gray and has a black crown and no plumes. One of the most common herons, often barking like a dog when startled. Seen stalking small fish in shallow water.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

September 29, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) is a "zebra-backed" woodpecker with a white rump. Its red crown extends down the nape of the neck, and its tan breast has a tinge of red on the belly which is often hard to see.

Named for its easily overlooked rosy red belly patch, this woodpecker is mostly a bird of shady woodlands. Will hammer acorns and berries into crevices of trees for winter food. Returns to the same tree to excavate a new nest below that of the previous year. Often kicked out of nest hole by European Starlings.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

September 22, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a smooth fawn-colored dove with a gray patch on the head. Its name comes from its mournful cooing.

Parents feed young (squab) a regurgitated liquid called crop-milk the first few days of life. Flimsy platform nest of twigs often falls apart in storms. Wind rushing through wing feathers during flight creates a characteristic whistling sound.

Note: for those new to this every-Friday entry, all the photographs featured in Friday Feathers have been taken by me.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

September 15, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) is a snow-white bird with slate gray wings and black wing tips with tiny white spots. The bill is yellow with an orange-red spot near the tip of the lower bill.

An opportunistic bird, this gull scavenges for food from dumpsters but will also take other birds' eggs and young right from the nest. Often drops clams and other shellfish from heights to break shells and get to the soft interior.

Nests in colonies, returning to the same site year after year. Lines ground nest with grasses and seaweed. Takes about four years for juveniles (above) to obtain adult plumage.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

September 8, 2006

Friday Feathers

The male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is an all-red bird with a black mask that extends from the face down to the chin and throat.

The male feeds young of the first brood by himself while the female builds a second nest. The name comes from the Latin word cardinalis, which means "important." Very territorial in spring, it will fight its own reflection in a window. Non-territorial during winter, gathering in small flocks of up to 20 birds. Both the male and female sing and can be heard anytime of the year.

Wife and kid below. ;-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (1)

September 1, 2006

Friday Feathers

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) are in a family all their own. It is the only raptor that plunges into water feet first to catch fish. Can hover for a few seconds before diving.

Carries fish in a head-first position for better aerodynamics. Often harrassed by Bald Eagles for its catch. In flight, wings are angled (cocked) backward.

Nests on man-made towers and in tall dead trees.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (6)

August 25, 2006

Friday Feathers

A tall and stately bird, the Great Egret (Ardea alba) slowly stalks shallow wetlands looking for small fish to spear with its long sharp bill. Nests in colonies of up to 100 individuals. All-white bird with a long, pointed, yellow bill, black stilt-like legs and black feet.

Now protected, it was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s and early 1900s for its long white plumage. The common name "Egret" came from the French word aigrette, which means "ornamental tufts of plumes." The plumes grow near the tail during breeding season.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

August 18, 2006

Friday Feathers

Introduced to the U.S. in 1890-91 from Europe, the European Starling is a gray-to-black bird with white speckles in fall and winter and shiny purple black during spring and summer. It has a long pointed yellow bill in spring that turns gray in the fall.

Often displaces woodpeckers, chickadees and other cavity-nesting birds. Can be very aggressive and destroy eggs or young of other birds. Its bill changes color with the seasons.

As a bonus this time around, here are some starlings in action.

Europeans are NEVER dull. :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

August 11, 2006

Friday Feathers

The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carlinensis) is a slate gray bird with a white face and belly, black cap and nape. It has a long thin bill that is slightly upturned and a chestnut undertail.

The nuthatch's habit of hopping headfirst down tree trunks helps it see insects and insect eggs that birds climbing up the trunk might miss. Incredible climbing agility comes from an extra-long hind toe claw or nail, nearly twice the size of the front toe claws. The name "Nuthatch" comes from the Middle English moniker nuthak, referring to the bird's habit of wedging a seed into a crevice and hacking it open.

Posted by Cindy

August 4, 2006

Friday Feathers

King Vultures (Sarcoramphus papa) are very striking, especially since most other vultures are all black.

The wings are mostly white with black tips. The ruff, flight and tail feathers are gray to black; the black areas have an almost opalescent sheen. Their bare head, neck, beak and muttle are red, orange and yellow, with very striking eyes that are straw, white or silver in color. Their beaks have a hooked tip and cutting edges, which are very strong. Their feet are gray. This vulture is native to tropical lowland forests; its range extends from southern Mexico to southern Argentina.

Note: I photographed this one at a zoo, and thanks to some Photoshop hoo-hah, was able to sharpen the image a bit and soften the distracting cage the bird was in.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (6)

July 28, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is a slate gray bird with a white chest and belly. It has a pointed crest and its flanks are washed in a rusty brown.

Well known for its quickly repeated "peter-peter-peter" call. Prefix "Tit" comes from a Scandinavian word meaning "little." Suffix "mouse" is derived from the Old English word mase, meaning "bird." Simply translated, it is a "small bird." Notorious for pulling hair from sleeping dogs, cats and squirrels to line their nests.

Posted by Cindy

July 21, 2006

Friday Feathers

The American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) is a perky yellow bird with a black patch on its forehead. It has a black tail with a 'conspicuous' white rump, black wings with white wing bars. Dramatic change in color during winter, similar to female.

This one is male. Male birds, no matter what type, are more attractive and females are dull in comparison.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

July 14, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Northern Mockingbird is very animated and performs an elaborate mating dance. Facing each other with heads and tails erect, pairs run toward each other, flashing white wing patches, and then retreat to cover nearby.

Sits for long periods of time on top of a shrub, and imitates other birds (vocal mimicry), hence the common name. Young males often sing at night. Often unafraid of people, allowing for close observation.

Posted by Cindy | Comments (3)

July 7, 2006

Friday Feathers

A mere six inches in size, the Downy Woodpecker is almost identical to the Hairy Woodpecker, but smaller. The Downy also has a shorter, thinner bill.

This one is a female; the males have a red mark on the back of their heads.

Posted by Cindy

June 30, 2006

Friday Feathers

The Double-crested Cormorant is a large black water bird with a long snake-like neck. It has a long gray bill with yellow at the base and a hooked tip.

"Cormorant" comes from the Latin corvus, meaning "crow," and L. marinus, meaning "pertaining to the sea," literally, "Sea Crow."

Posted by Cindy | Comments (2)

June 23, 2006

Friday Feathers

I previously wrote about the Pileated Woodpecker back in April and March. It's a a large North American woodpecker having black and white plumage and a bright red crest. The common name comes from the Latin pileatus, which means "wearing a cap," referring to its crest. It's a relatively shy bird that prefers large tracts of woodland, and it drums on hollow branches, chimneys, etc. to announce its territory. In reading more about what I refer to as the "PWP," this woodpecker is known to excavate oval holes up to several feet long in tree trucks, looking for insects to eat.

This is a photo of the offspring now living in the tree I photographed in April. While looking up to see if anything was in the tree, the baby's head popped out of the hole and the parent appeared out of nowhere with some breakfast. :-) Unfortunately I didn't react fast enough with my camera and missed the shot. Oh well!

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

June 16, 2006

Friday Feathers

The official name is 'Rock Dove' -- New Yorkers call them pigeons or flying rats. Photographing them couldn't be easier, since they're ALL OVER THE PLACE.

But hey, who knew the bird's eyes were so intense?

Posted by Cindy

June 9, 2006

Friday Feathers

It's that time again. This is a Scarlet Tanager.

This poor little guy was shedding its plumage and scratching or plucking itself like crazy, obviously suffering from some sort of affliction. Poor birdy. :-(

Note: It's not exactly my idea of a terrific photo but maybe one day I'll graduate to a lens that's the size of Texas. Then again, I should just climb the tree, sit on the branch next to the bird and tell it to stay still until I get the photo I want. *wink*

Posted by Cindy | Comments (4)

May 19, 2006

Friday Feathers

It's Friday. It's time for feathers. Meet the Black-Capped Chickadee.

From the book, Eastern Birds,"this small tame acrobat is distinctively patterned with a combination of black cap and bib, white cheeks. Sides buffy." (buffy?)

I've found the chickadee to be the easiest bird to photograph since it isn't skittish. It seems to sense that you're photographing it and the bird wants to make sure you capture its good side. ;-)

Posted by Cindy

May 12, 2006

Friday Feathers

I have an online photo gallery that I use as a depository for my photographs. The gallery is usually updated once a week with the most recent photo reflected here in the sidebar. Every so often I'll add a group of photos to the gallery, such as the collection of photos I took in Colorado or the photos taken during a visit to the Steamtown Historical Site in Pennsylvania.

However, there are many photographs that just don't see the light of day in the gallery unless they become a collection. I try to mix them up when it's time for a new photo; you won't see consecutive photos of flowers, animals or places I've visited. My latest photographic pursuit is birds, and I've accumulated a number of photos that have yet to be added as a collection. So... I thought I'd feature photos of birds in this space on Fridays, starting today.

When I spotted this particular bird in my mother's yard, at first I thought it was a cardinal (the ever-elusive one I've yet to get a good photo of) but soon realized it wasn't. What caught my eye was the red head.

When I returned to ye olde homestead and ported the photos from camera to laptop, a quick look at my reference book on birds found that this particular bird is a finch. At least I think it is. Anyway, what amuses me about this photo is the white long-johns this bird has on its legs. ;-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (7)

April 15, 2006

Knock Knock Knock

Last month I posted some photos of the Pileated Woodpecker I spotted one morning. A week or so after, I encountered the PW again, only this time it was in the middle of excavation.

Hmm... so far so good!

The photograph below is my favorite. It's as if there's an entire crew in the hole moving furniture around. I imagine the woodpecker telling the crew, "now move the sofa over to the left side...." :-)

Posted by Cindy | Comments (7)

March 24, 2006

Up a Tree

While I was busy dusting my brain and pondering life last week, I encountered a couple of surprise visitors during my time away. The first one appeared early one morning:

This particular woodpecker is a pileated woodpecker, a large North American woodpecker having black and white plumage and a bright red crest. The common name comes from the Latin pileatus, which means "wearing a cap," referring to its crest. It's a relatively shy bird that prefers large tracts of woodland, and it drums on hollow branches, chimneys, etc. to announce its territory. In reading more about what I refer to as the "PWP," this woodpecker is known to excavate oval holes up to several feet long in tree trucks, looking for insects to eat. That leads me to this other photo I took, which I came across while walking in the woods:

The second visitor was a Northern Cardinal, a brilliant all-red bird with a black mask, the first I'd seen in quite a while.

Unfortunately for me, the cardinal's perch was way up atop a tree and my photos of it weren't as good as I'd hoped. With any luck I'll encounter one again an