Common, But Still Special

(June 26th) I've realized that the last few weeks I haven't added any new species to my photographs. On the other hand, I really did get a chance to flesh out of some of the common species and fill in some gaps. It can be quite relaxing to photograph the more common species because you don't feel the pressure of 'you'll never get a shot at one of these again.' I started off the morning with a few pictures of the most common bird in North America, the Red-winged Blackbird. Here the male is giving a territorial call.

I ran into one of my favorites birds that just sums up relaxing to me. From their look, to their songs, to their overall demeanor, Mourning Doves are about as peaceful as an animal comes. Usually I don't like background that have anything man-made in them (like this fence), but the clean background, powerful light, and relaxing pose made up for it in my eyes.

I've been trying to get a decent picutre of an American Goldfinch for probably a year. It's been one of those missions where I am not singly focused on it, but if I seen an individual I will give it a try. They tend to be quite shy or in messy backgrounds a lot, but they are striking birds. They small size makes getting them large enough in the frame difficult. Here I was quite happy with the male perched atop some pretty teasel.

I took a bunch of shots of chipmunks again today, but I've posted so many lately that I'll give you a break from them. Instead I'll show another shot of the ubiquitous American Robin. I'm not a fan of the side lighting, but the pose he was giving me was fantastic. It's good to appreciate the wonderful critters we see around us every day.