Dark-eyed Junco

[EdV]

With the cold temps and howling wind, I spent most of the day sitting around inside. I got antsy to shoot some birds (photographically, that is!) so I bundled up and ventured to the wilds of the back steps overlooking the yard. :lol:

I sat out there a while with my XT and 70-300mm IS lens on my monopod and photographed some juncos. I could have, should have gotten closer but it was too cold to move. (I know, I am a wuss!)

Anyway these were shot with the XT and 70-300mm IS USM at 300mm. Av 5.6; Tv 1/200; ISO 200, AWB. Images were cropped to 1728 x 1152 and sharpened lightly. I tried to play around with positioning of the bird and limbs in the photos.

I know they are common birds but they are cute in their way. Comments and criticisms welcomed and appreciated.

[cheerio0s]

I get these all the time and they're so cute when they walk around and stuff. Nice shots though

[canonloader]

Ed, you got it rough. I got a piece of cardboard with a hole cut in it for the lens. I open the window part way, put the cardboard in and bring the window down to close it up, then shoot through the hole. Beer, popcorn and the game, and shooting birds during timeouts and halftime, the best of both worlds. ;)

[EdV]

Ed, you got it rough. I got a piece of cardboard with a hole cut in it for the lens. I open the window part way, put the cardboard in and bring the window down to close it up, then shoot through the hole. Beer, popcorn and the game, and shooting birds during timeouts and halftime, the best of both worlds. ;)

Much better (and smarter) than my approach!

[sam walker]

great little guys that we are lucky to borrow from Canada Oct-April. My feeders are hosting four this winter. Nice catch light on #1.
Sam

[EdV]

great little guys that we are lucky to borrow from Canada Oct-April. My feeders are hosting four this winter. Nice catch light on #1.
Sam

Well get them in flocks around here this time of the year. There had to be 15 to 20 of them flitting around the trees, shrubs and feeders in our backyard while I was shivering and shooting.

I liked the two shots I posted because of the light in #1 and the subsequent bright eye in shot. The second, I thought was just a cute puffed up little bird bracing against the cold wind. My only concern was the slate gray birds against the gray background of a garage roof! :oops:

[pttenn]

Well, don't think we have many of these down here so nice to see some nice shots and I appreciate your journey to the Arctic to take these! "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din"..or something....
Karen