Although I haven’t received my photo blind yet (delayed due to supply chain issues apparently), I have been working with the long lens on whatever will sit still long enough. All these images were taken in my yard with the Leica 100-400 f/4-6.3 lens.
First an American goldfinch male in the middle of molting from his winter to summer colors. I love how scruffy they look during these times. So different from their usual brilliant, smooth plumage.
Next a little chipmunk on my back patio. Sometimes they’re so unaware of things that you can practically trip on them. For this shot I was braced on my garden wall about 12 feet from it – that’s why the background is so well out of focus.
I think this raccoon is a female who has been harried by a local male or two. She has a somewhat stumpy tail and just looked worse for wear. During out very cold weather in February I thought about putting food out for her, but didn’t. They’re pretty scrappy and they aren’t endangered or anything. She was scrounging under the feeder before trying to get to it directly. She didn’t and I felt a little bad when she ambled away into the next yard and out of sight.
Next another songbird, a dark-eyed junco. They hang out by the dozens under the feeder and make the most wonderful little chirping noises to each other. I had a go with trying to remove the twigs on either side of it, but I wasn’t happy with any of the results so I left them in.
So far that’s what I have. It’s been cold, wet and rainy so sitting on my cement wall has been less than ideal. If it warms up I’ll get to it some more. Or if my photo blind ever gets here!
Bonus image since I had to come and correct a typo – a female red squirrel. She scolded me from a tree first then settled down to the seeds I put out on the rock. I wanted to get shots of one of them, but they stay so high that I had to lure them to this more accessible spot. She looks a little ragged, but was lively enough.
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