This blog is intended to be a light and fun outlet where I can share many of the bird photographs I have taken in my bird watching pursuits and provide some basic information about my feathered friends. I don’t pretend to be a substitute for a real field guide, nor do I claim to have any special knowledge. All I have is a camera, patience and a lot of free time to wait around!
Most of my posts will focus on the Northeastern United States, primarily Northern New Jersey. However, if I travel with my camera, I will try to post about other places and more exotic birds. My posts won’t be exclusively about species of birds, but also about some of the places I have visited, walks I have taken and other bird related topics.
My Equipment
When I started bird watching and photographing the birds in my garden, I borrowed my husband’s Olympus E450. By the time I was using this much loved piece of equipment, it was well traveled and fairly worn out. The shutter button was not as sensitive as it once was and I often missed moments because the camera didn’t respond quickly enough. The extent of our zoom capability with the Olympus was 200 mm. In 2018, we purchased a new Canon EOS 6D. It was then that I was united with my one true love, a 150-600 mm Signa lens.
Occasionally some of the images I will use, especially photos of landscapes, were taken with my phone or a point and shoot camera.
My Sources
I will provide links to references and resources whenever possible. However, I am largely depending on the field guides I have at home:
Birds of New Jersey: Field Guide by Stan Tekiela (2000) If you are not familiar with this series, I highly recommend them as a starting point. The book is organized by color, which is a great way for beginners to find information easily.
Birds of Eastern North America: A Photographic Guide by Paul Sterry and Briane Small (2009) has a wider coverage area and helps when something isn’t a “common” bird in my area.
The Birder’s Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds by Paul R. Ehrlich, David S. Dobkin and Darryl Wheye (1988) This book gets into a lot more detail and has some very interesting general essays about color, behavior etc., which have been really helpful.
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Types of Ducks Series: Defining Duck
Before I started bird watching I don’t think I realized just how many variety of ducks there are in North America. I am not talking about waterfowl in general, but specifically ducks. I think when you say duck, most people think of two things, the Mallard, with his green head and yellow bill or they… Read more
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Make Your Own Birdseed Ornaments
I decided to do something a bit different again, just to change things up. Some readers may remember my attempt at making my own suet cakes (Keeping Busy During the Quarantine: Make Your Own Suet, May 6, 2020). This time I thought I would attempt to make smaller morsels and I found my inspiration on… Read more
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