Winter Birds
Close up of an adult Ring-billed Gull in a snowstorm – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 1000, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I realize that I sounded a bit sad yesterday when I wrote about the winds of change and winter’s arrival closing access to places I love to photograph birds but it isn’t all bad. Winter’s arrival also means that I’ll have many opportunities to photograph birds close to home.
When the weather turns colder, the clouds gather, and the snow falls I still have plenty of birds to photograph here in northern Utah. The freezing temps often cause birds to gather on or near a couple of ponds that I can be at in less than five minutes when a sucker hole opens in the sky to let the sunlight through or when I know that big, fluffy snowflakes are falling.
I adore photographing birds in snowstorms with fluffy snowflakes in the frame. My cameras handle low light situations well and I can crank the ISO up high enough to get sharp images so there is no reason I wouldn’t photograph birds in the snow. Some of my favorite images in my galleries were taken in low light situations.
Drake Common Goldeneye near sunset – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I can also spend time photographing birds in late afternoon and as the sun goes down close to home without having to be concerned about driving home in rush hour traffic on slick or snowy roads with the crazies that drive 80 mph no matter what the road conditions are.
By going to my local ponds I am able to sit and relax while photographing birds in sweet golden light without having to get up at o’dark hundred and drive for miles and miles in the darkness before dawn. I can’t think of a downside to that!
Drake Hooded Merganser portrait in evening light – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The colder weather brings birds to my local ponds that I often have a hard time getting close to any other time of the year as well as migrating birds passing through this area and those who overwinter in the valley. It also brings in ducks and other waterfowl that have discovered that they won’t be shot at on these smaller urban ponds.
Ring-billed Gull fly by in a snowstorm – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 2500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Winter can be great for photographing birds close to home in any kind of light. In fact, winter is an excellent time for bird photography in all of northern Utah as long as I can get to them.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my bird photos in my galleries.
That Hooded Merg shot is stunning! Best portrait of the species that I’ve seen.
Love the pics and your narrative is wonderful. We don’t get much winter weather here in San Diego…so your words bring the season to life. Thanks Mia.
Like them all, but the flying gull, especially
The merganser is a stunner! Wow! So looking forward to seeing snow thought your lens. 🙂
Do all these birds stay there all winter, or do they fly further south? I like the photos.
Our (wimpy) winters are one of my favourite times of year. I am so glad that you can also find joy in the season.
Beautiful! I actually really like photographing in the snow!
Love em, but probably my favorite is the Hooded Merg!!
Many thanks for sharing.