Backyard Winter Birds | a 7 Image Story

Feb 2, 2020 | 7 Image Stories, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Backyard Winter Birds, Blue Jay, Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Nature, Nikon 1 V3, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Robins, Starling

Backyard Winter Birds | a 7 Image Story   Each winter the snow provides contrast and background for backyard birds.  Even though the same bird species tend to feed at the backyard bird feeder each winter, it’s still a challenge to get nice images.  The Nikon 1 V3 with the AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G IF-ED VR lens attached via the FT-1 Adapter really helps get close-ups with it’s 2.7 crop factor.  My Nikon 1 V3 for Birds | a 7 Image Story post goes into some depth on using the Nikon 1 V3 for bird photography.

Robin Enjoying Snowfall   Some Robins are hardy birds.  They were my mom’s favorite bird.  She called them Little Robin Red Breasts.  She always thought spring would soon be upon us, if she saw a Robin in late winter.  In those days, we did not see Robins stay all winter like we do now.

Male Red-bellied Woodpecker   Seems like the red-bellied woodpecker should be called a red-headed woodpecker.  Notice the rose coloring on a red-bellied woodpecker’s breast.  When this species was first named, the red-headed woodpecker name was already used to name a different bird.   The flighty Red-bellied Woodpecker brings bright colors and exciting action to bird feeders.  Around here, only one bird, the Blue Jay, will chase the it from the feeder.  They are attracted to bird feeders, near wooded areas, containing a bird mix including suet or sunflower seeds.

European Starling Eating Snow  The Common Starling’s winter coat displays many colors as the winter light shines through it.  Their feathers make a winter day more colorful.  They are loud, boisterous, loud birds that travel large flocks.

Female Downy Woodpecker   The Downy Woodpecker is really cute as they rapidly move up and down a tree.  Capturing a close up becomes really difficult even with a long lens.  Like many species of woodpecker, they have a rise and fall flight style.  In the warmer months, they are really noisy with their shrill call and tree pecking.

Male Dark-eyed Junco   Dark Eyed Juncos are common around here.  They seem to like the nearby woodland areas as well as the bird feeder.  Mostly, they feed on the ground under the bird feeder, then make their ticking calls as they fly up into the woods or bushes.

Blue Jay Profile   The Blue Jay, a common songbird, is familiar to many in northern Illinois.   Native to North America, at least some Blue Jays stay around all winter. They are very aggressive and sometime attack other birds.  Still, they are beautiful against the snow. They mainly feed on nuts and seeds so they show up every day to the bird feeder; particularly, when snow covers the ground.  Blue Jays are well known for their intelligence and tight family bonds.  Thousands of Blue Jays migrate in flocks along the Great Lakes each year, but little is known about their migration.  Young jays are more likely to migrate than adults, but adults also migrate. No one has determined why they migrate, when they migrate, or why some migrate while others do not.

Backyard Winter Birds | Male Cardinal   Male Cardinals cheer us up during the winter months with their brilliant red body. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they stay breathtakingly beautiful against winter’s snow. Northern Cardinals tend to sit low in shrubs and trees or forage on or near the ground, often in pairs.

Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Backyard Winter Birds.

Click any image below for a slide show.