Parking Lot Perch and a Black Cat

I'm always on the lookout for interesting perches to use in my bird photography. While walking across the shopping center parking lot at the end of last week I spotted a small downed branch covered in lichen. I noted where it was located and reminded myself to pick it up on the return trip to my pick up. Sure enough I forgot to grab it. Monday afternoon I was back shopping at the same shopping center when it hit me. Where was that cool perch? I turned from where I was headed and walked back to where I was parked previously. After a bit of looking I was surprised to find it. I tossed it into the bed of the pick up did my shopping and headed home. This morning I clamped the branch beside the bird feeder. Then I put up a new neutral background behind it. I gathered up my photography gear and climbed into the photography blind to wait. Being winter there only a few species that come into the bird feeder. I photographed Chestnut Backed Chickadees, Steller's Jays and Red-Breasted Nuthatches. I was interrupted by the yowling of a cat after about twenty minutes. All of the birds left and a stray black cat that has been hanging around for about a week approached the blind. I called to it and it cautiously came closer. I held out my hand and it sniffed it. Then big shock to me it came into the blind and climbed up into my lap! I petted it for awhile and then walked with it to the house where I gave it a bowl of cat food. It ate all the food and then wandered back into the forest. What a wonderful morning. Merry Christmas to one and all, chris all images were created with a Canon EOS 7D MKII camera and a Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens. Fill flash was provided by a Canon 550 EX speedlight set to minus one and one third stops.Camera settings used were AV mode, ISO 400, Exposures varied. #teamcanon, #withmytamron

Snowy Day Backyard Birds

At the beginning of this week the snow came floating down. By the end of the storm we had just under six inches of snow on the ground. I set up a bird feeder and a perch about eight feet from our back bedroom window. Immediately after I filled the feeder the birds began coming in. Because it's winter I managed to capture all of the most common birds from our backyard. Dark Eyed Juncos, Chestnut Backed Chickadees, Red Breasted Nuthatches and Steller's Jays. I had a great session and the birds enjoyed the free food. God's love and blessings to all, chris All images were created with a Canon EOS 7D MkII camera with a Canon EOS 100-400 IS v.1 lens. Fill flash was provided by a Canon 550 EX flash.#TeamCanon

Pretty In Pink

Monday afternoon I created a set up using a stick erected next to the bird feeder along with some pink flowers. The birds loved it. They were coming into the bird feeder one after another for a free snack. I worked for about an hour at getting the bast angle to capture them from. Monday night after editing I picked out four of my favorites to share. Here are two images each of Chestnut Backed Chickadees and Red Breasted Nuthatches. God's love and blessings to all, chris All of these images were created with a Canon 7D MkII camera and a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens. It was supported on a Manfrotto 055 XPROB Pro tripod. Fill flash was provided with a Canon 550 EX flash.The camera settings were AV mode, F8.0, The ISO varied and a shutter speed of 1/60th of a sec. was used.#TeamCanon

More From the Sunflower Series

Yesterday afternoon I worked on the background of the sunflower images. I added more texture in the form of flowers between the sunflower perch and the fall background. Around four o'clock the lighting got really nice and I climbed into the photoblind and photographed birds for about half an our or so. I came away with about a dozen or so images that I really liked. After editing and processing I narrowed my favorites down to four images. Two each of Red Breasted Nuthatches and Chestnut Backed Chickadees. God's precious love upon your day, chris All images were created with aCanon 7D MkII camera and a Canon 100-400 L IS USMv.1 lens.#TeamCanon