Daily Archives: February 10, 2014

Snow Day in Granny’s Front Yard

Last week, we visited my mother-in-law in Wichita Falls…well, my wife visited while I photographed birds in the front yard.  About 5″ of the white stuff fell Sunday night, so I hastily set up to shoot early Monday morning and stayed outside almost all day.

It was a little difficult dodging all the plastic flowers, lawn ornaments, flower pots, etc. , but I was able to get birds in some fairly natural or pleasing spots.  Oh how I was wishing I’d planned ahead of time and gotten a few pretty perches ready.  On the other hand, the natural landing areas made for some interesting poses.

Click in the middle right hand edge of any photo to make it open in a larger, sharper format.  Then click on the arrow to advance through the photos.

American Robin on the old picket fence.
American Robin on the old picket fence.

 

When food is scarce, a robin can find the last berry in the bush.

When food is scarce, a robin can find the last berry in the bush.

 

Blue Jay watching the snow flakes drift by.
Blue Jay watching the snow flakes drift by.

 

The blue jays seemed to know where every fallen acorn was located, even under several inches of snow.
The blue jays seemed to know where every fallen acorn was located, even under several inches of snow.
A spotted towhee emerges from under a thick hedge to scratch for seeds.
A spotted towhee emerges from under a thick hedge to scratch for seeds.

 

European Starlings quickly found the food intended for other species.
European Starlings quickly found the food intended for other species.

 

House Sparrows had no problem adjusting to the snow and -15 degree temperature.
House Sparrows had no problem adjusting to the snow and -15 degree temperature.

 

Most of these photos were made in the Canon 7d camera, but the Canon 5d Mark II proved handy for a couple of shots.   All images were done with the 500 mm IS Canon lens mounted on the Wimberley head atop a Feisol carbon fiber tripod (the Woodpecker shot was hand held).

 

At the end of the day, a pair of northern cardinals arrived looking for seeds.
At the end of the day, a pair of northern cardinals arrived looking for seeds.

 

Female northern cardinal on the snow.
Female northern cardinal on the snow.

 

Flower pot background for a dark-eyed junco on Granny's picket fence.
Flower pot background for a dark-eyed junco on Granny’s picket fence.

 

Blue Jay fighting off the grackles at it hunts for food.
Blue Jay taking off in deep snow.

 

Blue Jay clinging to the bark of a cedar elm tree while it scans the snow for food.
Blue Jay clinging to the bark of a cedar elm tree while it scans the snow for food.
Getting this Spotted Towhee was my biggest thrill of the day.
Getting this Spotted Towhee was my biggest thrill of the day.

The following shot was my last one of the day.  In fact, the camera and lens were in the house when the red-bellied woodpecker appeared at a knothole in the front yard mulberry.  Hand holding the heavy 500 mm lens and camera, I sneaked into the garage and fired from around the door without alarming my subject.  This shot was at 1/350 second, ISO 640.

Hungry Red-bellied Woodpecker probing soft wood in a mulberry knothole.
Hungry Red-bellied Woodpecker probing soft wood in a mulberry knothole.

For me, photographing in the snow is as good as it gets.  Properly clad, a photographer (even one from south Texas) can work in the cold for several hours.

Larry