They are such cute little birds that are fun to watch, but very difficult to photograph because they’re constantly moving. They’re actually a type of sparrow. The males are strikingly white with a black back, central tail, and wing tips. Females have a reddish-brown coloring. They’re also known as “snowflake” birds because the mostly white plumage of a bunting flock evokes the image of a snowstorm.
For a photographer living in a gray, winter climate, a sunny day is cause for excitement. Monday afternoon’s sunshine and bright haze made me drop everything and head outdoors. For nearly three hours, I sucked in the shadows and colors of the wintry landscapes. More to come.
On my last photoshoot before the snows came, I visited several wetlands to take pictures of cattails and milkweed, which were blowing open and spreading their seeds for next season. I couldn’t help but think of all the Monarch butterflies who will benefit when they return from their winter migration.
I’ll admit it. I hated to see the leaves go along with the fall color. But with the leaves gone, the landscape opened up. The bones of the trees show. Lakes behind the woods appear. I most enjoy seeing birds that become visible. I can now spot a hawk hunting from a tree top a quarter mile away. Sometimes, I get really lucky, like last Tuesday, when I saw this bald eagle perched high in a beech tree. There’s always something to see in nature, even when the world goes brown.
