January 3, 2026
a different approach to photography
On today’s birding adventure, I took a different approach to my photography. Instead of zooming in on my lens to get close-up shots, I stayed pretty zoomed out to capture birds either within the context of their surroundings or in a way that showed off their personality or plumage a little more than I have in the past. I took inspiration from two Audubon articles:
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
I rarely get opportunities to photograph woodpeckers doing anything other than boring holes in trees for food, so this was a treat.
Red-tailed Hawk on the prowl
I saw this one perched at the top of the downed tree before taking off and swooping down low, disappearing for maybe 30 seconds, and then swooping back up to a high ledge. I reckon it got a snack.
Red-shouldered Hawk with a Common Raven
This was a rare sight–these two were flying together for several minutes, circling something. At first, I thought they might be competing for territory or prey. But later, a birder friend told me that ravens don’t really hunt–it’s more likely that it was taking advantage of the hawk’s superior eyesight to see if it found anything worth pursuing.
Rock Pigeon couple
Pigeons get a bad rap for their propensity to paint a back porch, but if you look at them with a more objective eye, they’re actually quite beautiful birds. I spotted this couple grooming each other before looking over at a dog walking by.
Double-crested Cormorant
I think cormorant plumage is among the most beautiful of our local water birds. I saw this cormorant in a crowd of American Coots. In the back of my mind, I could hear one of my friends singing in a Broadway-style voice, “one of these things is not like the other!” I walked around to the back of the group to capture a shot of the cormorant in the midst of the others to feature its plumage.
I watched this cormorant for a while, hoping for a clean shot of it spreading its wings out (as cormorants love to do). Instead, I learned that it had a fishing hook stuck in its left foot.
At this particular lake, it’s not difficult to spot abandoned fishing line in trees or on the ground where people couldn’t be bothered to pick them up. Today, this cormorant suffered the consequences.
In the past, I wouldn’t have captured this. It’s a sad scene and I’ve wanted my photography to inspire a sense of awe and excitement about birds. But a few days ago, I read the Audubon article, Use Your Photography to Support and Advance Conservation. I think I want my photography to also inspire a sense of urgency and necessary effort toward keeping these amazing creatures around for the long-haul. Even minor negligence of leaving your trashed fishing line out rather than packing in/packing out (or not learning how to cast better…) can lead to harsh consequences, like the suffering of this cormorant. Major negligence can lead to worse, like rapidly declining bird populations.
Red-tailed Hawk on a beautiful day
This gave me the perfect opportunity to capture the beauty of the day. It was cloudy, foggy, and cold, but it was still a gorgeous day to be out birding.
