The light was just too good and the bird too cooperative to not share more photos of this twitchy little guy.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I photographed this Song Sparrow only minutes after dawn six days ago at Farmington Bay WMA. You’ll likely recognize this first photo because I posted it recently but I wanted to include it again to help put the rest of the shots in context. This might be my favorite photo of the series but I think some of the others deserve a look-see too, especially the last one.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Twice during my extended session with “him” he gave me this statuesque pose for quite a long time (for a songbird anyway). Perhaps the narcissist in him knew I was taking his picture.
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
He was a twerky-jerky subject as he often flicked his wings and tail in place. It reminded me of one of the tendencies of Western Meadowlarks in springtime because they do something similar, though usually not quite this exaggerated. I suspect it was some form of communication with the other nearby Song Sparrows.
I managed to get a number of photos with his tail flared or one or both of his wings out but I often didn’t get light on his face at the same time.
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Here he’s doing it again.
As usual one of my goals was to get takeoff or flight shots but all that tail and wing flicking repeatedly faked me out when I’d fire a burst in anticipation but he stayed put. I wasted a lot of pixels that way but this bird was worth it.
1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
In the end when he finally did take off the best photo I got wasn’t perfect but it was still interesting because he twisted his body to his right and fully raised only one wing to push him in the direction he was about to take flight.
Usually in those first few minutes after dawn when the light is this warm and almost perfect for so many situations I can’t find a cooperative subject. This time I was pleased to actually be able to use that exquisite golden light.
It’s always a fleeting opportunity.
Ron
Oh Ron … song sparrow … how appropriate. Your images are like music for the eyes and soul!!!!!
Ok, now I’m blushing, Lois. Thanks very much.
Ron, firstly, I wanted to apologize for not mentioning on yesterday’s blog that you promised and posted another bird that hangs upside down to eat. Quite amazing to me.
As for today’s photos, such a twitchy bird with beautiful colors on it and in the background.
Thank you
No problem, Alice. Thank you.
Wonderful song bird acrobatics! You sure weren’t kidding about how special is the last shot! The warm light is the whipped cream on the pumpkin pie. You’ve left a big ol’ grin on my ugly mug today. 😄
Thanks, Marty. Your pumpkin pie remark would have me drooling if I hadn’t just had a big piece of pecan pie after lunch.
Every shot is a little gem. Thanks for sharing these.
Thank you, Lyle.
So beautiful! Thanks for showing us the whole series.
Elizabeth
Thanks, Elizabeth.
Wonderful series Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Thank you, Charlotte.
Lovely! Makes me want to get out and photograph… haven’t been able to in a while due to work etc. Tres inspiring – thanks!!
I hope you can get out soon. Thanks, Joanne.
Grinning ear to ear! 🙂 Just can’t get over how the light “made” these pictures and how the sparrow cooperated! 🙂 Hard to pick a favorite……. 😉 Dreary, snowy, wet morning her so these are extra special….
Judy, as you know excellent light and a cooperative bird don’t happen simultaneously very often. At least not to me.
Wet and gloomy here too and there’s no improvement regarding light in the near future.
Such a luxurious golden spectacle. The contrast of the gray underwing really accentuates the last photo. The articulation of the wings and tail in the next to last shot really speaks communication to me, I feel like I should be able to understand the message- should but can’t. Beautiful series Ron.
“I feel like I should be able to understand the message- should but can’t”
I feel the same way, Dave – to the point that I researched it in the “Behavior” section of BNA Online on this species but I struck out.
A agree with Everett about the last photo…it sure is special. Love the way he flaunted his wing highlighting the under part. One has to study the photo to figure out what he is about to do. Excellent series. Lighting is everything!
Kathy, I was lucky with at least one thing about that last photo. With a shutter speed of only 1/2000 and shooting at f/5.6 that incredibly fast moving left wing wouldn’t have been sharp in any other position. In this position I have enough depth of field to get it sharp and I caught the wing in-between going up and down so there’s no motion blur.
Ol’ Murph couldn’t find me at that particular moment… 🙂
The last becomes first for me, but like them all. Beautiful colors with that golden early morning light. So neat to be there and be ready when an opportunity like that presents itself. Great job Ron. At a different time and a different light that Song Sparrow can look so plain and ordinary, but in that light he is a a star. If God’s eye is indeed on the sparrow as the song says, then it is indeed on this guy.
Thank you, Everett. Light matters. It REALLY matters.