Saturday, July 30, 2011

Saturday Snapshot

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ AT Home With Books.
Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.
I got a new camera in June because I wanted to be able to take some beautiful bird photos, like Leslie.  It wasn't long after sitting on my deck with the camera around my neck for a few days, that I realized that:
  • (A) - we either had a lousy selection of birds around here
  • (B) - the birds didn't feel like posing for my new camera
  • (C) - the birds are not fond of the pine trees that surround our deck.
  • (D) - I need to buy a bird book!
Either way, these are probably the best bird photos you'll ever see from me....LOL  One day I got so excited as a yellow finch came to our birdbath several times, but by the time I got the camera out, he was gone :(
I don't think I'm patient enough for bird photography.

 Click images to enlarge
 
(some kind of dove?)
(some kind of black bird) LOL
Ducks
Ticked off Ducks!

36 comments:

  1. I love how many participants post pics of birds. I'm always trying to photograph birds, but the results are...uneven.

    The trick with bird photos is to always have your camera ready - lol. My grandmother kept her bird book and field glasses in the kitchen window sill...I guess we could do the same with our cameras.

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  2. Those are some good shots, though. I especially like the ones in the trees! I think the black one is called a 'grackle' - we have them in our back yard too.

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  3. I think these are nice! LOVE the duck photos :)

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  4. I have a hard enough time capturing my grandkids! LOL

    Bird photos would require a lot of patience and always having the camera ready. Not my best thing!

    Here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT

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  5. Nothing worse than a "ticked off" duck! Lol, thanks for sharing, Diane.

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  6. Your dove in the first photo is what we call rock doves around here. My family more affectionately refer to them as "who birds" for the question they call to one another (whoooo, who, whoooo).

    I like the way the light shows through the tail feathers of the black bird and the duck pictures together made me laugh. :)

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  7. Loved all those bird photos! They make a great subject!


    Here is my Saturday Snapshot post!

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  8. I am inspired by Leslie's bird photos too. I bet she can identify the birds in your shots.

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  9. What beautiful pictures!
    http://ratherbarefoot.blogspot.com/2011/07/saturday-snapshot-3.html

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  10. OK, I'm a bird lover so here goes. The first one is a mourning dove, the second is probably a grackle (purplish black head?), and the ducks are actually geese. Birds are fun to watch and especially when you learn a little about them. I have a life list that grows every year; obviously I'm really into this stuff but I don't have photos of them because I too never have the camera handy.

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  11. Nice shots, but I totally get what you mean about bird photography! My parents are birders and constantly suggest that I get into photographing birds. I give it a try, get mediocre results and then give up. I think being a birder helps. But, a great bird picture is so awesome! I just wish they would stay still and pose for me :-)

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  12. Those are great photos. Don't give up!

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  13. Those are very good for a first attempt with a new camera. Birds take a lot practice and from these shots you definitely have the eye for it.

    The first photo is a Mourning Dove, the second looks like a Grackle. I love it when the ducks start quacking and move away giving a very annoyed look as they go.

    Birds generally don't like to pose for pictures. I'm often hiding behind trees and shrubs. And I use a zoom lens, which really helps a lot.

    I agree with Jennifer... I keep a book, field glasses and camera on the kitchen counter!

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  14. Today is the day for pictures of birds and flowers. I never keep my camera handy enough to take pictures.

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  15. Love the last photo! They look like they are singing!

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  16. These are such nice pictures. I especially like the angry ducks one. It made me laugh. =)

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  17. Trash, Leslie and Barbara, thank you so much for educating me with the species of thaws birds.

    Jen, Mary, Brian, Kathy, Laurel! Kaye,Wanda, Guatami, Cecelia, Lisa, Helen, Jill and Nise - thanks for humoring me with you kind comments about beginning picture taking results.

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  18. "Some kind of black bird" - that sent me laughing, lol!! I only see sparrows and ducks over here. In fact, we have some ducks in a pond nearby that regularly trek towards our apartments and have a good cozy afternoon sunbathing, ha! And we see eagles here, but almost always when I'm driving!

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  19. Heehee, I love how the absence of birds has inspired you to buy a bird book. Only a bibliophile would make that conclusion. Also, I love the ticked off ducks as well. Ducks can be such pretty birds, but they can also be incredibly mean at times!

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  20. I feel your pain. I swear the birds were taunting me all through my Hawaii trip. Every time I'd forget the camera in the car they'd come and perch ever so peacefully on our table. It got to where it was a running joke. If I had my camera the birds were going to scatter. :)

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  21. Leslie's bird photos are so awe-inspiring that you get credit for trying to imitate them. And I love that you didn't know what kind they were. That made it more fun. Like your one of us, the common people.

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  22. These are some very good shots. I totally sympathize...I have been trying for several years (since I got my camera) to get a good photo of a) a cardinal and b) a goldfinch. Even having the camera at the ready doesn't seem to work...these birds seem to be very camera shy and refuse to sit still long enough to be captured. Or, as you say, I just don't have enough patience. :-)

    Here is my Snapshot: http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2011/07/saturday-snapshot-july-30.html

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  23. Your photos are beautiful! I especially love the last one. Made me LOL!
    Here's Mine

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  24. Just today I had a hummingbird hovering very close to me while watering my flowers. I sure wished I had a camera although I doubt he would have been very co-operative with posing either. He was a pretty green fellow.

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  25. I love the mourning dove and the ducks! I think they were very good shots. Birds are darn near impossible to photograph, methinks. :<)

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  26. In my experience, ducks are usually ticked off!

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  27. That first shot of the ducks (pre ticked off) looks like a row of decoys.

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  28. I agree Leslie does take wonderful bird pictures, but your duck are just amazing.

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  29. hey, is it just me or is that a bad link to the 'new camera'? I want to check it out!

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  30. I love your humor!!! Every time I try to get a good photo of some woodpeckers that I have the dogs go around stirring up the noise and off they fly!!!

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  31. Quite a few years ago, we went through a birding phase and were always trying to attract "premium" birds but mostly had sparrows and mourning doves. But still ... when you get a good one, it is really exciting!

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  32. Great shots - and thanks for being brave enough to be honest about your level of bird recognition (about the same as mine). Thanks for the laugh!

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  33. These are fantastic!! For some reason, I'm fine around all types of dogs, but birds in groups tend to make me think that I might be pecked at...silly, I know. I attribute it to Daphne du Maurier and Hitchock's adaptation of The Birds, of course...

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  34. I'd say you got some great shots. I love birds and always feel like I get my best bird photos when I am in Hawaii. The birds there are so mellow and almost tame and don't mind posing for me!

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