I did not plan to make birding a focus of my trip to Paris, but I can’t help but take shots of them when the occasion arises. I’ve seen lots of gulls and pigeons, some mallards, and a few swans, but so far have not gotten close enough to get shots of them—I have relatively modest telephoto lenses with me on this trip.
The first image shows a crow, what I think is a Carrion Crow (Corvus corone). I am not at all certain about identifying birds in Europe, so please correct me if I am wrong. I photographed this crow and the other birds featured in this posting in the Tuileries Garden, which is located in between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde.
The second bird is a Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). Several other moorhens were swimming about in a small pond, but this one decided to boldly look for food. Perhaps it was looking for a handout from tourists.
The final birds are Common Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). This small flock of starlings flew about from place to place. I did not detect any signals, but all of them seemed to take off and land at the same time.
If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you know that I like to photograph anything that catches my eye. Even in a place like Paris, where there appear to be famous landmarks in every direction I turn, I am just as likely to be spending time photographing these modest little birds. I think it would make me a maddening travel companion for a more normal person.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
These are beautiful bird photos and I really enjoyed seeing them. The top photo of the crow is so interesting. The very textured foliage behind, and the rough autumn leaves in the grass, seem to perfectly complement this bird that looks a bit of a scruff!
Thanks, Liz. The crow was the only one that I was able to get reasonably close to and it’s the photo I like the most. The combination of textures that you noted really add to the interest of the photo.
Well done Mike.. brilliant!
Great shots, Mike. I love it when birds move together and then land a few feet away from where they were.
Nice Mike! Looks like you are having a Great Time!
Anybody can photograph Paris’s tourist icons (and you have!) but it takes a special eye to see beauty in starlings and hailstones and bicycles.
Thanks, Nina. You’ve summed up really well my approach to my trip to Paris. I am trying to immerse myself in the city and my pool of potential subjects is unlimited. Beauty is beauty and I try not to discriminate. I do, however, feel a bit inhibited about taking photos of people, although I am spending a lot of time people watching.