Redpoll's again - at minus 22C

Ann McRae

Went outside to shoot them today - they let me get about 20 feet away.



Different shot - different crop. Comments and critique appreciated.
ann

wxwax

Yeah, at 20' you need a monster lens to make the birdies fill the frame. It's tough to get close, I've discovered.

ginger_55

I love the shot. I have some birdies from over christmas. I went where they were and stayed completely still. (Sometimes just raising the lens would spook them, so then I had to keep the lens held up, don't anyone mention "tri-pod", anyway with the lens and camera held up, the birds would come back, eventually, and I could usually get a shot off.)

I missed the very small ones by an hour or so.

I love your shots Ann.

ginger

Dee

That's one wild bird feeder

Ann McRae wrote:

Went outside to shoot them today - they let me get about 20 feet away.

I love the different colored perches! Our weather's damp and cold for us, but nothing like yours!

These little guys must be a lot of fun to watch and photograph.

Ric Grupe

Very nice feeder!
Maybe Ann can fill us in

Steve Cavigliano

Nice Ann So many pretty little birds. And still able to fly around when it's soooooooo cold. What's a matter with these guys? Did they miss the bus heading South?.... Maybe they stuck around for Ann's seed and feed


I also love your feeder So colorful and it looks to be fairly squirrel-proof too.

-22C :yikes


Steve

Ann McRae

Hi everyone, and thanks very much!

The feeder is specifically designed for finches. I have it full of some tiny little finch specific feed (niger seed?). It is about 2 feet long, plastic, inexpensive. Finch feeders are available in a lot of different variety, many much fancier and more expensive than this one. On each side of the feeder, a few inches above the pirch, are tiny little bird sized holes. Only the small straight billed birds can access - even chickadees have trouble.

I had no idea how many varieties of finches there were around here til I put this one up. These redpoll's are here in a flock of about 60 birds. This fall we had pine siskins at it - that flock probably had 200 birds - they just about broke me!

That, and the suet feeder I hav hanging from my front verandah, are the only ones that the squirrels cannot access. There is a regular rotation at my big platform feeder - first thing in the a.m. are the Jays - a family of 5. Then chickadees, maybe a nuthatch or two, then the redpolls, and then late in the day (4 p.m. - sunset time here right now) the Jays again. The woodpeckers are using the suet feeder in the front. The squirrel accesses the platform, as does a magpie! This morning the squirrel was chasing the magpie around 'his' tree! Lots of entertainment, even at - 22C. Its been that cold here since just after Christmas. Otherwise, I'd be a bit more persistent in getting outside to get those shots!

ann

gus

Hell.. -22c...I used to do some maintenance on industrial freezers & as long as they were -20c or colder i was happy. I could only last maybe 5-10 mins inside them.

I would be very carefull as to what i would & wouldnt put my tongue on at that temp

Ann McRae

Humungus wrote:

Hell.. -22c...I used to do some maintenance on industrial freezers & as long as they were -20c or colder i was happy. I could only last maybe 5-10 mins inside them.


Yes, hell is right!
Even with clear blue skies, it is most unpleasant!

I would be very carefull as to what i would & wouldnt put my tongue on at that temp

I am always careful about where I put my tongue!

Ann McRae

For those interested in my feeders, you can find shots of them in this gallery:

http://canadian-ann.smugmug.com/gallery/219373

ann