As we move to colder temperatures, I am taking fewer photos of insects and more of birds, like this cool-looking House Finch that I spotted last Wednesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. From a distance, I though that this perched bird might be a sparrow, judging from its basic coloration. When I got a little closer, I could see the conical-shaped bill and reddish tinge on the bird’s head and breast, so I immediately was able to tell that it was definitely not a sparrow.
At first glance, the two photos may look identical, but if you look closely, you’ll see that the bird’s head is in a different position in each image. Although the second image is a better profile shot, the birds’s face is in the shadows. In the first image, the bird had turned its head a little bit and the light was shining more directly on its face and produced a nice catchlight in its eye.
When I am taking photos of birds, I usually shoot in short bursts, because even perched birds around a lot and each movement may result in a different expression and pose.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
It looks like the finch thoughtfully perched himself within a color coordinated background:) I love house finches. They are fairly ‘ordinary’ in the bird world but they have a lovely song and are very perky all winter long. This is an interesting tidbit in case you didn’t know——”The House Finch is invasive in its own right. Originally native to only the western United States and Mexico, it has spread rapidly through the east since a small number of caged birds were released in New York in 1940.”
I love it when the birds are color coordinated with the background. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the info about the house finch. I don’t see them very often and need to read up on them. I know that some invasive species compete with the local populations and are viewed negatively, but am not sure if the house finch falls into the category or has a more benign effect as a non-native species.
Nice capture. One of the ‘little guys’ I always enjoyed trying to photo. Not many here…yet.
I really like the diagonal composition in this image and your handling of the light is beautiful in that first shot.
Thanks, Laura. I had to wait for the lighting to be right in the first, but it definitely was worth it. As you have undoubtedly noticed, I’m a pretty patient person. 🙂
He beautiful!
That blush of red adds a nice color accent to this bird.