Northern Cardinal

Today I again hosted "the lodge" at Deer Haven Preserve in Liberty Township, Delaware County.  This nature center is a great place to watch and photograph any bird that will come to a feeder.  This male cardinal caught my eye on a gray afternoon.  He kept preening his feathers- allowing the darker patches of underlying skin to show through.  It was interesting behavior to watch, but those two patches don't make for the best photograph.  Unlike a fashion photographer, I can't just yell "wardrobe!" and have three assistants rush in to re-arrange the feathers. 

-Tom

A Female Northern Cardinal

This female cardinal was attracted to the feeder at Blendon Woods Metropark a few weekends ago.  When I evaluate my bird photography, I'm looking for two things.  The first is whether the bird is looking straight at the camera.  In this case, you'll notice that the female cardinal is looking slightly to my left and a bit downwards.  If she was looking right at me, this would be a shot I would be really happy with.  The second thing I look for is to make sure the bird's eye has that little sparkle in it, called a catchlight.

Anytime you photograph anything living, having this catch-light is critical for making the creature look alive.  If the catchlight isn't there, you'll have a dull and boring photograph.  The easiest way to get a catch-light is to shoot with the sun behind you.  Some photographers use flash to add catchlights, and others add them later on in post processing.  Take a look at your bird photographs, look at the ones you like the most, and I'll bet the bird is looking right at you and has a nice catchlight in its eye.

Tom

Also-  I'll be speaking and showing some of my photography to the relatively new Scioto Audubon Photo Club tomorrow night at 7:00 (thursday night), just south of downtown in the brand spanking new Grange Insurance Audubon Center.  Everyone is welcome!

Tom

Northern Cardinal

This morning at Blendon Woods Metro Park, Columbus Ohio.

Bands

Several of the cardinals that have been showing up at the bird feeder have had bands on their legs. I think this has to do with the research project going on in the nearby Kenney Park. In the spring, when cardinals are nesting, the park has green flagging tape hung all over the place to mark the individual nests. I suppose the researchers might band the young cardinals. They then show up at my bird feeder. Pretty neat. How old are they? Where have they been? Is my assumption correct that they were born in Kenney Park?

This male cardinal's feathers are tinged with gray. How about that? Scarlett and gray. Was this the inspiration for Ohio State's colors?