A New Contest in the Works, and a Splash of Color!
That’s right folks... We’ve got a new year and a new contest brewing! And this contest is going to tap your funny bone. (California Kathryn thinks Gordon and I have gone “Squirrelly.” Yeah, she‘s probably right.) But anyway, keep an eye out for that next contest!
As for today’s post… The picture below was the result of absolute dumb luck on my part. (Pretty much any picture I take that isn’t clouded by the smoke seeping from the camera lens is a good one by my standard. To say that I‘m “camera challenged“ is to be kind in the absurd.) But anyway, I’d set up the tripod and camera and moved on to other chores. By sheer serendipity, I walked into the kitchen, spotted those two birds at the feeder, focused the camera, and took the picture.
The rascal on the left is the requisite Blue Jay; the one on the right is a Red-bellied Woodpecker. That is very, very cool in my book!
We’ve touched on the subject before, but the hobby of backyard bird watching/photography deserves a second look. For those who have never really taken on the sport of watching the birds in earnest, you just might not know what you’re missing. It’s cheap, it’s fast, it’s challenging, it’s educational, and it’s relaxing to boot. All that’s really required is…
And as always, you can post a question right here in the “Comments” section below.
So happy backyard birding, and watch this blog for the upcoming contest!
See you by the feeders,
Alan
As for today’s post… The picture below was the result of absolute dumb luck on my part. (Pretty much any picture I take that isn’t clouded by the smoke seeping from the camera lens is a good one by my standard. To say that I‘m “camera challenged“ is to be kind in the absurd.) But anyway, I’d set up the tripod and camera and moved on to other chores. By sheer serendipity, I walked into the kitchen, spotted those two birds at the feeder, focused the camera, and took the picture.
The rascal on the left is the requisite Blue Jay; the one on the right is a Red-bellied Woodpecker. That is very, very cool in my book!
We’ve touched on the subject before, but the hobby of backyard bird watching/photography deserves a second look. For those who have never really taken on the sport of watching the birds in earnest, you just might not know what you’re missing. It’s cheap, it’s fast, it’s challenging, it’s educational, and it’s relaxing to boot. All that’s really required is…
- Feed. You can figure that one out.
- A few spare minutes. There’s nothing like watching the birds while sipping the mandatory cup of “Morning Joe”, taking a lunch break, or unwinding after a long day’s work.
- The Internet, (Identifying That Bird!).
- Eyes and/or ears.
And as always, you can post a question right here in the “Comments” section below.
So happy backyard birding, and watch this blog for the upcoming contest!
See you by the feeders,
Alan
Comments
I had no idea a woodpecker would eat at a feeder! Great photo, Alan!
Posted by: kathryn | January 6, 2007 2:32 PM
I just LOVE "my" red-bellied woodpecker! He/she feeds from the suet feeders as well as a hanging platform feeder. One thing that's always stuck out in my mind is that I have never seen more than one red-bellied woodpecker at a time at my feeders. I can only say that for these birds. I wonder why that is?
Posted by: Maria | January 9, 2007 3:51 PM
Hi Maria,
Yes, multiple sightings are quite rare. (The wife saw three on the feeder at once, but her gut instinct was that they were a family.) The reason for the solitude may be rooted in the territorial nature of the birds. Red-bellies will literally kill other woodpeckers in order to take their nest holes.
I guess it's a tough world out there.
Thanks for your comment Maria!
Alan
Posted by: CapeCodAlan | January 9, 2007 4:57 PM
Gosh, I didn't know that! Ouch! Now my downy woodepeckers are usually around in pairs. Hey Alan, if you're ever interested in some backyard bird pics, I'd be happy to share some of what I've got. Don't quite know how that would work, but I've gotten some that aren't too bad :) Just an FYI
(Note from CapeCodAlan: Thanks Maria! That's a very kind offer... We'll see where that leads.
Thanks again, and keep the comments coming!
Alan)
Posted by: Maria | January 9, 2007 8:42 PM