The Trumpeter Swans returned to Bath Nature Preserve for a New Year’s Day visit. Hopefully they will evacuate to the south before they get frozen in to the Garden Bowl.
New Year Swans
Bluebirds
Bluebirds mob around this derelict wasps nest.
Compare and Contrast Sparrows
My previous post featured a Field Sparrow, so I thought it would be a good comparison to now feature a bird that is easily confused with the Field Sparrow; namely the American Tree Sparrow. There are a few key distinctions, two of which can been seen in my photograph.
- The American Tree Sparrow has a bi-colored bill, typically black/yellow. The Field Sparrow has a pink bill.
- The darker eye-ring on the American Tree Sparrow is bisected by the rusty brown eye-line. The eye-ring on the Field Sparrow is unbroken and bright.
- If the chest is visible, the American Tree Sparrow has a black spot right in the center of it.
Fine Feather Detail
A close-up of a Field Sparrow from November 4th. Note the white eye-ring and pink bill, which are key field marks for this species.
The Shrike Returns
The Northern Shrike has returned to Bath Nature Preserve. Today’s weather was abysmal for photography, and I did not have any high hopes. So it was a very pleasant surprise when I saw this rare visitor in the tree tops.
Fences Can’t Hold Me
Eastern Bluebird at Bath Nature Preserve, 2019-11-17.
Snow & Doves
The snow and bitter cold did not keep these two doves away from the feeder at Bath Nature Preserve.
Nearly Full Moon
Although I’ve read a few books about photography, I’ve learned much more through trial and error. With this photograph I learned that, at least with my camera, you can capture a much better picture of the moon at dusk or dawn than you can when the sky is completely dark. In total darkness, my camera struggles with focus and exposure even when using spot-metering and single-point focus. This picture was taken while the sky was still quite purple, but the exposure settings have blackened it.
