Black-capped Chickadee Sings

 

The morning light breaks through the trees,

Birdsong fills the cold air,

Echoes of dawn.

haiku # 3

Generally, life is good.

Notes to Self. Black-capped Chickadee

This is a story about a special bird Chickadee who radically changed my direction in photography.  

A few years ago I mistakenly thought, or rather pretended, that I was a street photographer and at some point I found myself trapped in a vicious circle, not knowing how to get out of it. 

The vicious circle was broken on one cold, frosty February morning in our local park. 

While wandering through a snowy park, I accidentally came across a bird feeder that resembled a small house without walls. 

From time to time small birds appeared at the feeder. Some of them were regular visitors, brave and experienced, others were newcomers who simply watched and did not dare to eat the seeds from the feeder.  They picked them up in the snow.

These birds were the first birds I ever observed for a long time and my first birds I ever attempted to photograph. They were Chickadees but I didn't know it yet. 

Oddly enough, on that cold February morning, near a small feeder, photography took on meaning again, and a long exciting journey into the world of birds began.   

Generally, life is good.

Indian Summer in Snow Basin

Today I took my old camera and went to Snow Basin for a hike and to enjoy the last warm autumn day.

Mountain aspens. They are not tall and beautiful as birches but they are very hardy.

Black-capped chickadees are still in the mountains where they spent all summer. Soon they will be back to the valley.

Hiding between the aspens.

Hikers.

Three bugs are having social time.

The gate to another world.

Another hikers.


Tomorrow we are having rain in the late evening and temperature will drop. Indian summer will be over. 

Towhees are Back!

A Towhee. He has a sunflower seed in his mouth.

A female Muscovy duck. 

A Black-capped Chickadee.

A Towhee with a small seed in his mouth.

It's freezing cold and it was snowing for a few days. I didn't drive far away, just visited our local pond. 

The pond is frozen and only a little part of it has water. All ducks and geese are sharing the tiny space with water and Muscovy ducks among them. They are definitely staying at the pond for the winter. 

I walked to the feeders and photographed a Towhee and a Black-capped Chickadee. Later I took a few pictures of female Muscovy duck. Probably, it's not very exciting but I had a great time being with birds, watching them and photographing.

Welcome Back a Black-capped Chickadee!

This special bird is back to our local pond. It means that winter will arrive soon.

What can I say about this bird?  She has a small body but a big attitude. She is curious and daring.  And most important she is happy to be alive.

This little bird taught me to be patient when I first photographed her in January.  My bird photography started with photographing this bird on a cold snowy morning.  On this morning I made a giant leap into bird photography.