Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Small Passerines

Over the past month or so I brought home from my trips and daily walks photos that don't fit into any particular category, except they are all of small birds. Small birds in trees and thickets are fiendishly difficult to photograph, because first of all you have to have a clear shot at the bird and secondly you have to have set your camera focus and exposure to capture just a small area within a confusing surround - nothing more frustrating than seeing the bird clearly but the camera finds there is not enough contrast to make the bird stand out and hunts and hunts until the bird has flown off.


Golden-crowned Kinglet in a boreal conifer on top of Mt Mansfield, VT



Immature White-crowned Sparrow
 
Swamp Sparrow

I had trouble identifying this sparrow because it looked like nothing that I saw in my various guides, except for the markings, but the color was more brilliant than on any of the pictures.

Swamp Sparrow

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo
  
Red-eyed Vireo


House Wren


House Wren



Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment.

12 comments:

  1. wonderful photos and a nice variety too.

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  2. You're right about small birds in trees being difficult to photograph. In my case, the correct phrase would be 'impossible to photograph'. I can't even see them. You did an outstanding job here. Congratulations!

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  3. I know what you mean about birds hiding in the foliage...I've almost given up trying!!
    A lovely selection, well captured.

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  4. Beautiful shots Hilke. I love the red-eye vireo!!

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  5. Hey, thanks for all your nice comments! I love the challenge - however getting shots of warblers, other than the yellows (C Yellowthroat, Yellowrumped and Yellow W) has been an utter failure. Will have to try again in the May.

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  6. I love trying to capture the 'tough birds'...its always alot of fun to try and freeze the activity of such active birds. Sometimes you just get lucky. Some nice shots by the way.

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  7. Lovely shots of these small birds, Hilke. They are so small and quick, it is a real accomplishment to get such great images. Well done!!

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  8. I really enjoyed this post. The Swamp Sparrow and the Golden-crowend Kinglet shots are fantastic! The kinglets have always been so hard to photograph for me. I've never really gotten a decent shot.

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  9. Very nice photos, Hilke. Those small birds are difficult to get - I am especially impressed with the kinglets. Just seeing them is difficult much less getting to hold still long enough, and in light enough, for a photo.

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  10. Thanks, Larry, Harold, Kelly and Chris. As you all know, given time and patience, you sometimes get lucky.

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  11. Getting photos of all those small birds...wow!

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