Birding in BC Community

I've recently assigned myself a project to create a setup in my backyard to photograph some of the residents in my backyard. The goal was to create artistic photos of the commoner birds around here. I've set up a feeder and created a few perches around for the birds to land on. So far, only the chickadees have been cooperative. I'm still trying to get the Stellar Jays and House Finches to land on the perches and not straight to the feeders. Here are a few photos I quite like at this point. Let me know what you think.




In addition to the feeder setup, the hummingbirds are quite active. I've used the hummingbird feeder for quite a while now so they have grown accustomed to humans. I bought a pot of flowers so I could photograph them feeding on a more natural food source. So far so good.





Thanks for looking! Hopefully more photos to come

I think it is an excellent idea. It gives you so much more control of your own photographic efforts. It allows you to explore settings on the camera and lens to more easily see what works and what does not for that situation. You will become much more of an "expert" of your own equipment as you work with it.
With it being in your own backyard, you can grab 15 minutes here and there as you have time rather than earmarking a special trip to some birding area.
As you feed and work in the garden "your birds" will become more accustom to you allowing you greater opportunities.
Great to see hummingbirds in the Salvia Patens, definitely one of my favorite plants and not too common. Blue flowers can be a very tricky color to get accurate, there is a scientific reason for it which escapes me right now but you have done very well.
There are several people here who have done some excellent backyard bird photography and hopefully they can give you some good tips.
Great job and I hope you keep at it!

Alice, those photos are beautiful. I have a similar set up in my backyard with the hummers and chickadees and enjoy photographing and watching them. They are so cute and look forward to more.

Cheers.

Thank you both for your kind words. I will continue to try and get more shots

I have a question for the experts of the forum. I keep seeing/hearing black headed grosbeaks and warblers in my backyard but they are always far up in the treetops, is there anyway to attract these birds to a feeder or at least someplace where I could photograph them? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hi Alice,

yes you can attract them to your feeders they love black oil sunflower seeds Feed them that and hopefully you will get some grosbeaks if they are in your area.
If they are not I have seen quite a few at colony farm and grant narrows recently and not at the top of trees but at eye level.

Good luck! Look forward to seeing what you get.

I spent a bit more time with the setup for the past few days. The chickadees were still ever so plentiful, as well as the hummingbirds.




The house finches have become a bit more cooperative, in addition to the towhees that hang around the feeders.




An interesting surprise at the feeders. Checking out the sunflower seeds before going off somewhere else.



No grosbeaks yet, maybe they need a bit more time to find the food. Goldfinches are starting to show up as well so I hope to get some shots of those.

Thanks for looking!

Nice shots Alice
noticed you too are offering workshops around the lower mainland.
A lot of people offering workshops these days, i need to step up my game one of these days too, feel like i'm being left behind

Alice, your photos are beautiful. I especially love the one of the flicker wow!

Thanks for sharing hope you get your grosbeak soon!

Great images. I would love to find the Blue Salvia at a nursery. I have a soft spot for the hummers feeding from these plants. As others have mentioned on other posts, it is a nice change of scenery.

Black chickadees have stopped by my yard. They visit the feeder, take a seed, and fly away. Then they perch and eat the seeds. To attract the chickadees from visiting the garden regularly, I planted some berries and sunflowers to give them extra food as they seem to love insects. I also planted some conifers to give them a great hiding place.

Steveear wrote: ↑Jan 10 8:48 am Black chickadees have stopped by my yard. They visit the feeder, take a seed, and fly away. Then they perch and eat the seeds. To attract the chickadees from visiting the garden regularly, I planted some berries and sunflowers to give them extra food as they seem to love insects. I also planted some conifers to give them a great hiding place.

Chickadees find holes in dead trees, and they nest. It refers to a cavity nest. A good nesting site for chickadees is birdhouses and boxes. You can make a birdhouse or put boxes near the feeders. Indeed, they will flock into your yard.