eye-on-you

In spite of the pounds of sunflower seeds I’ve been feeding my

feathered friends this season, I still don’t think they trust me. May

be my imagination, but it feels I’m getting this look a lot. Comments

and critique appreciated.

Nice shot of the colorful little guy against that good background.It takes some time for these to get used to you but they eventually come around.I also distributed heaps of sunflower and other seeds and I had quite a following;unfortunately,being in a forested area,this easy food attracted a hoard of squirrels who took control of the feeders and infiltrated my garage eating away at just about everything that wasn't metal.I had to trap dozens of the little critters and displace them further out in the forest and at the same time stop loading the feeders and loose the company of these colorful feathered friends.

Meilleures salutations-Laurent

Dear Wayne, birds are my weakness. This one is very beautiful, sweet Little one. They are beautiful and ephemeral as life itself. There are more trusting ones and easy to photograph, in my case "verdecillos" (Serinus-serinus) species.

I love the red hue of the bird, which is not vivid, it is almost off and his black eyes so alive. The lighting of the shot is excellent and the mix of tones: background (black / green) and bird (red) is ideal. There is a poem of John Keats, who I can't take it out of my head though I read it many years ago, it says:

---- "My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains (...)

That I Might drink, and leave the world unseen,

And With thee fade away into the forest dim: ----

(light-winged Dryad of the trees)

Just a few verses, but my favorite ones. So, when I see a little bird that sings, it seems that is hidden in the forest and I just want to go with him ...

Lovely shot, congratulations ㋙

Hi Wayne,

  Beautiful portrait with wonderful color, details & priceless expression.  Take care, Patsy

Laurent,

Many thanks.  You mentioned my long time nemesis, squirrels.  Our encounters are legendary.  They continue to steal my bird seeds and run like hell when they see me coming.  Most of the time I refuse to photograph them no matter how cute the pose.

Laura,

Thanks.  In all seriousness, I have a weakness for birds too.  I think most of us do.  I was too young and immature to truly appreciate Ode to a Nightingale when I first encountered it, but understood and felt it much later.  Since beginning to use a tripod, whenever possible, and my acquisition of a decent long lens, I wait for expressions to photograph.   An odd little fact about me and birds: (For some time now, when I steal away for meditation, the sound of birds have marked my rare transition to experiencing Kensho.)  I appreciate your kind and uplifting comments and support and, maybe most of all, your beautiful prose.

Giangiorio,

Thanks for visiting and your kind comment.  You are most encouraging. Thanks you.

Patsy,

Thanks.  I think the birds and I have come to an understanding.  Maybe from the birds' point of view it is more like "trust but verify".

Eye catching presentation! It sharp where it should be. Well seen colors!

A really beautiful shot with very nice lighting and details, Wayne!

Wayne,

Excellent shot - scary looking bird  :)

I'll try to add some pics of our anti-squirrel setup. They used to climb down the wire from the branch and empty out the feeders- the covers are just very thin aluminum flashing cut in a square (more or less) then slit on one side so as to be able to slide  it together to form a cone. I just stapled the sheets together with a hand stapler. We slid it over the wire. It's floppy enough and slippery enough that squirrels can't get a hold- they could theoretically still jump from the ground onto the basket- which is an old flower pot, in order to catch most of the seeds the birds waste in their search for the perfect one. So far, only one has tried and only once. Eventually, less picky birds sort through what's in the basket then the empties can be dumped out. You can see that the feeder is just hanging on a wire loop under the cone- easy to remove for filling. I'm sure other materials could be subbed for the aluminum- depending on what you have lying around :)

other views

closer up

Grigoriy,

I really appreciate your taking time to visit and your kind comment.  Thanks.

Ruud,

Thanks.  Kind of learning from you to keep my eyes on the details.

Greg & Verena,

Many thanks. Love your constructions.  I've constructed a few like these, but they interfere with my photographing.  I love to feed my birds from a deck.  And unfortunately decks are easy for squirrels.  I've tried trapping them, but that had me making too many trips to the "woods" to release them.  Now I just try to scare them with my old BB gun. Of course that's not working out for me either.