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FOR THE BIRDS

 

I am not sure of just what the attraction is, but birds in a wild setting do peak my interest.  When I first started to take pictures and thought stupidly that I would like to be a pro photographer, it was the birds to which my concentration was directed. 

 

I have done some portrait photography and one (that's 1) wedding.  People photography is probably where the money is, but ducks don't talk back and that was always important to me.  I once had a lady say that the photographer who did her portrait five years ago made her look so much better than my efforts.  Well!  Duh lady!  You're five years older and those wrinkles were there before Photo Shop.  So, I stayed with birds.  Throw them some food and they're friends for life and never bad mouth ya unless you run out of seed.  Squirrels at the feeder are another matter.

 

I guess I have taken photos, like the one above of a cattle egret, from Maine to Florida and a lot of spots in between.  In the far north, there just aren't the numbers of them that we see in the south.  That makes them smarter than us because they stay were it's warm and you don't have to work so hard for food.  And then you have to learn migration patterns, mating patters and just the locations in which they like to hang.  So, I guess you could say that you just don't go outside and go "Click,click" to get that photo.

Places that are fun to visit and productive in wildlife area range from Acadia in Maine, Fire Island in New York, Bombay Hook in Delaware, Black Water and Chesapeake Farms in Maryland, Assateague Island in Virginia, Great Smokey National Park in Tennessee, Ding Darling and the Alligator Farm in Florida.  I guess there are a lot more places on the East Coast, but I have been blessed to be able to visit those.

Then there is the most stable place of all to photograph our feather friends.  The back yard bird feeder is probably the easiest place to photograph the little critters.  Also the cheapest place to go.  All you need is a feeder (0$ to $35), a bag of black oil sunflower seed ($25) and a lot of patience.  Tack a branch or two on the feeder and you have a place for them to land, preen and argue.  And it looks more natural when they land there.  A friend of mine who photographed "The Mad Bluebird" (and made a million on it..no kidding) claimed that he cut all the other branches off a particular tree...thus forcing the bird to land only on the one he wanted to photograph.  OK, maybe that works but I am not so sure.  And the bluebird was on top of a fence post anyway so I guess he cut all the other posts down.  Probably not!

Me, I'll just sit in a nice warm car with a long lens and let them put on a show for me.  Have my Pike Place Roast all nice and warm and fire away.  Lazy....yep!  But I'm old and worked hard at being lazy for a lot of years so I deserve it.  Besides I probably have a thousand images of a bird just like that one over there in the thorns and brush.  Pass the donuts please!