Bushtit (Photo of the week)

A bushtit hangs from the small branch of a tree, clinging to a tiny cone
A bushtit hangs from the small branch of a tree, clinging to a tiny cone. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 800. Evaluative metering 0: 1/1000 sec. at f/8

Often when I go out to photograph wetland or shore birds, I also check surrounding trees and bushes for passerines that might be in the area. You never know when you’ll get a great lighting condition for a common song bird, or perhaps a passing migrant. In this case, I found a busy bushtit foraging among several trees near a large wetland area. Catching these birds still is quite a feat, as they seem to be constantly moving and changing position.

This photo caught my eye because of the colorful background – I always like photos that mix bright blues and yellows together. The tiny cones of this tree aesthetically complimented the small bird well.

When using a super telephoto lens as I was here, it can be difficult tracking fast moving birds, whether they are flying, or flitting between tree branches. I was happy with the few frames I managed to capture in focus.

Townsend’s Warbler With Blossoms (Photo of the week)

A Townsend's warbler sits atop a blossom

Sometimes when I head out for something particular in mind and it doesn’t work out, I can be happily surprised by unexpected opportunities. This week’s photo is a prime example. Recently I traveled down the coast to try to get some photographs of wintering Monarch butterflies. The butterflies were there, but not very active. I have since realized that I was a little too late in the year to capture them clustering on eucalyptus trees. However, the tree in the above photograph had flowered and the blossoms seemed to glow in the soft light of the overcast afternoon. Just as I was starting to leave, a Townsend’s warbler perched itself on one of the most photogenic branches. I was ready to capture the fleeting moment, and came away from the trip with something entirely different than that which I set out to capture.

Copyright 2017 Hank Christensen