Bird
Angel’s Wings
This female Ruby-throated hummingbird was keeping an eye on me as I took her profile portrait.
Three things I love about this shot. 1) The sharp detail in the bird’s head. 2) The ghost-like blurring of the wings. 3) The little feathers on the neck that look like flecks of gold.
To see more of the detail, click the photo.
Boastful
This male, Ruby-throated hummingbird was showing off for me. I love it when the light hits their gorget just right and you get a flash of that iridescent, ruby-red color they derive their name from.
For bonus points…
gor·get (gôrjt)
n.
1. A piece of armor protecting the throat.
2. An ornamental collar.
3. The scarflike part of a wimple covering the neck and shoulders.
4. A band or patch of distinctive color on the throat of an animal, especially an area of brightly colored feathers on the throat of a bird.
Click on the image to see a larger image and those brightly colored feathers on the throat in greater detail.
The Breakfast Club
During the few summer months at our rural Wisconsin home, it’s common to hear a distinctive humming sound. If you glance out the window, you’re likely to spot ruby-throated humming birds zipping back and forth, to and fro – competing for a few seconds at the best seat in the house.
I call this “The Breakfast Club” because this group – all females – were photographed around 6 am.
Click the image to view a larger version.
Enigma on Wings
I spent some time the other day taking my first hummingbird photos of the season. This is a female, ruby-throated hummingbird looking straight at the camera. The wings are just a blur.
To get this unique look, I took all the color out of the original image, added a bit of sepia tone and then a texture effect.
To get a better view, click on the image for a larger version.
Garden Party
I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
Rick Nelson
These are the some of the regulars who frequent the birdbath and feeders in our yard. The yellow ones are male American Goldfinches. The other three are House Finches – the males having the red coloring.
In the interest of full disclosure – I never got more than three of them to belly up to the bar at one time, so a little Pops Digital magic was needed to fill up the spaces.
To get a better view, click on the image and you’ll see a larger version.
Little Bird Dreams
Only a few hours out of the shell, these newly hatched Tree Swallows are resting comfortably. The parents build feather-lined nests in the bluebird houses we have around our yard. In just a few days, those little black marks will become feathers. This nest will quickly become crowded because they grow amazingly fast.
Click the photo to see an enlarged version.
The Early Bird
Not many are up early enough to catch the sunrise. How many beautiful scenes have been sacrificed on the altar of another hour’s sleep.
This sunrise was enjoyed by a bluebird in our back yard…and me.
Click the photo to view a larger version.
Just the Two of Us
This handsome pair of love birds – or…ummm…bluebirds – showed up early this spring. We have several bluebird houses around our yard and expect these (and more, hopefully) to raise a brood, as they have the last couple of years.
They are sitting on the edge of a stoneware bowl that I stock with a treat of mealworms for them each morning. It’s set on a post about three feet off the ground. As you can see from the lilac bush behind them, the leaves are just starting to sprout in our neck of the woods.
I took this photo remotely. I had my camera on a tripod about 20 feet away from the birds…while I watched from the window in our pantry (probably 40 feet in the opposite direction) and pressed my wireless remote shutter button when I saw the birds at the bowl.
Watch for more of this pair in coming days…and through the summer; now that I’ve got them trained to pose for me.
To see a larger view, click on the image.
Bluebird Dawn
Just before sunrise I noticed a bluebird checking out the bluebird houses in our yard. I grabbed the camera and headed out the back door. I got a picture but not the one I was after. Here’s the story…
My goal was to snap a picture of the bluebird posed on the bluebird house, framed by a big, bright sun behind him. While I was trying to line up the shot, the bluebird flew off the house, into a nearby tree. I was able to click off a quick photo of the bird in the tree before he flew off for good. Then I turned my camera to the sunrise and snapped a couple of frames.
The image above is a combination of two different photos (shown on the right). I started with a shot of the sunrise and overlaid the silhouette of the tree branches with the bluebird. As you can see, the original photo of the bird and branches had a background of just light gray sky. Not very interesting or appealing. The sunrise was pretty on it’s own, but the branches and bird adds interest .
Both photos were taken within a minute of each other. Not quite the image I was shooting for, but I think the final result turned out well.
To see a larger version of the above image, simply click the photo.
In His Element
One of my greatest joys (and challenges) is catching a hummingbird in focus. This male Ruby-Throated hummingbird seems to be in his element.
There are no hummers hanging around this time of year. I’m looking forward to their return. I caught this one zipping by my window with the early morning sunlight on his back last July.
It’s worth seeing this one enlarged. Just click on the image.