Tess went with me today... here she is up on the deck of the Visitor's Centre



I was down below the deck...


Where I had company


People up on the deck


There were Pine Siskins, I've been hearing them all winter but they don't come to the feeders. There's too much food for them in the bush.










Mr. an Mrs. White Winged Crossbill




Ac couple female purple finch, also not coming to the feeder this year, but saw 10 feeding in the little tree out side our bedroom window the other day,



And to top it all off, wild turkeys

[luftfluss]

Pic #1 is the best of the bunch.

[normhead]

Pic #1 is the best of the bunch.

What? Not #2?

[brewmaster15]

Nice series Norm. TFS... I would love to photo siskens.One of these days. Have to laugh though, that photo of you in number two..your shadow looks like you are shooting straight into the sun .

AL

[luftfluss]

What? Not #2?

The first pic has interesting subject matter. The second pic - while perhaps technically better - is far less appealing.

[normhead]

Nice series Norm. TFS... I would love to photo siskens.One of these days. Have to laugh though, that photo of you in number two..your shadow looks like you are shooting straight into the sun .

AL

Ya, serious backlighting and subsequent loss of resolution and colour.

[normhead]

The first pic has interesting subject matter. The second pic - while perhaps technically better - is far less appealing.

Tess likes #2 better, fortunately.

[pichaser]

Tess went with me today... here she is up on the deck of the Visitor's Centre



I was down below the deck...


Where I had company


People up on the deck


There were Pine Siskins, I've been hearing them all winter but they don't come to the feeders. There's too much food for them in the bush.










Mr. an Mrs. White Winged Crossbill




Ac couple female purple finch, also not coming to the feeder this year, but saw 10 feeding in the little tree out side our bedroom window the other day,



And to top it all off, wild turkeys

Great job Norm ! A friend , who has 55+ years as a birder , attracts a crowd of pine siskins using nyjer thistle seeds which are around ten bucks a pound !

[normhead]

Great job Norm ! A friend , who has 55+ years as a birder , attracts a crowd of pine siskins using nyjer thistle seeds which are around ten bucks a pound !

I'm getting ready to hang my nyjer feeder. Only Pine Siskins and Gold Finches seem to like them among the birds I have here.



It takes a couple years to get rid of a pound. I'll be replenishing my supply in a week or two and hanging out the nyjer feeder.

There are major feeders way bigger than mine 50 meters from where I took the Siskin images. This year, they just don't care.

[pichaser]

During the backyard bird count a couple of weeks ago my friend goes through 1 pound of nyjer thistle seed s day a day . This is in California east of Frazier Park at 5000 ' elevation . Could the elevation matter?

[normhead]

During the backyard bird count a couple of weeks ago my friend goes through 1 pound of nyjer thistle seed s day a day . This is in California east of Frazier Park at 5000 ' elevation . Could the elevation matter?

Probably more the concentration of birds. We have at most 20-40 goldfinches and Pine Siskens most years. They stay for 2 or three weeks. They have a choice of a peanut feeder, black oil sunflower seeds , bird seed with small grains, suet and cut apples and raisins. They have lot's of choice.

[biz-engineer]

Where I had company

With her canon she has the same posture as Stalone driving the machine gun in Rambo IV. If I was a bird I'd be scared.

[normhead]

With her canon she has the same posture as Stalone driving the machine gun in Rambo IV. If I was a bird I'd be scared.

The tiniest little Asian women with a big personality. If she wasn't talking to me she was talking to the birds in Chinese. Her husband was up in the Visitor's Centre cafeteria working on his laptop on the free wifi.

[K2 to K50]

Tess likes #2 better, fortunately.

And why not? That is a perfectly performed knee-bend you have there!!

PS Just went through yours and Tess' 19-day explorers-of-the-year posts - man, that was really something. Most impressed!!!!

[normhead]

And why not? That is a perfectly performed knee-bend you have there!!

PS Just went through yours and Tess' 19-day explorers-of-the-year posts - man, that was really something. Most impressed!!!!

The knee bend is the result of that being the highest my tripod will go. I have heavier taller tripods, but I prefer this ancient model I've had for 10 years now. It's strong enough to hold a heavy lens and light enough to carry for medium to long distances.

Ya the trip was something special. Now Tess is getting all inspired for another one this year. But we'll try and keep it to a week this year.