Immature White-crowned Sparrow on top of a wild rose bush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Finding birds to photograph isn’t just about having good eyesight. More often than not finding them means having some knowledge about the birds and their basic needs. Knowing what the birds eat is helpful, knowing what habitat the birds prefer certainly is, and knowing what else the birds need aids in finding them too.
Adult White-crowned Sparrow perched on a colorful autumn wild rose bush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Small birds like these White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and American Goldfinches need cover that provides safety for them from predators. I know that in the area where I photographed all of these small birds in early November that there are two avian predators that would make a meal out of them lickety-split and those predators would be Cooper’s Hawks and Northern Harriers. I know that because I have seen both of those raptor species dive on small birds in the area.
American Goldfinch perched in a wild rose bush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
In this location there are quite a few wild rose bushes for these sparrows, juncos and finches to take cover in when the need arises and with a flick of their wings they can dive into the thorny safety of the roses in the blink of an eye.
Dark-eyed Junco perched on the tip of a wild rose bush – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
There are other bushes nearby that the small birds can also use to thwart the attacks of aerial predators.
In addition to the cover these small birds have in this location they also have food and water nearby which means they can eat and drink and still be able to dive into the bushes for safety when a Cooper’s Hawk or Northern Harrier flies by.
Dark-eyed Junco and an autumn wild rose – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The sparrows, finches and juncos need food and water to survive but they also need cover nearby from the elements. The birds also need places where they can find shelter from predators and these wild roses provide exactly that for them.
Life is good.
Mia
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Great shots!
The roses are a nice combination of restaurant, hotel and safe house!
Looks like both Juncos have the aftermath of a snack. 🙂 Wonderful shots of all these lovely birds with the beautiful “fruiting” rosebushes as a surround.
Beautiful series, Mia