Dark-eyed Junco

Gallery: AvianPosted January 4, 2015160 views15 comments

Winter has finally arrived with cold rain, ice, and snow. Birds have been scarce at the feeders until this morning with lots of goldfinches, and a few adult male juncos. I shot this one through my kitchen window. I wish I had a little more room on the bottom, but I cropped for composition and am satisfied with the result. I am now using TK's web sharpening action for CS and am pleased with the results. K5 IIs, 300mm f4 (1/320sec at f8, ISO 800); Topaz Detail, noise reduction, contrast, and exposure in LR)...................Jim

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Patrick O'Healy on January 4, 2015 at 1:55 PM

Jim, this is a lovely shot. Considering the kitchen window, it is all the more outstanding. Like the perch, the snow is a wonderful addition, and the bird is tack sharp.

Registered on March 13, 2011, 326 Posts, 1679 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Thompson on January 4, 2015 at 2:19 PM

Jim you got a great pose from the Junco on a real nice perch. The feather detail is sharp, nice catch light in his eye and I like the high key BG with the bit of snow on the perch. Well done!

Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on January 4, 2015 at 2:20 PM

I have always struggled to get good images of this species - you nailed it here. Love the little touch of snow too

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Alberto Patiño on January 4, 2015 at 4:27 PM

Great definition - and the pure white background works beautifully!

Registered on December 2, 2014, 278 Posts, 1736 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on January 4, 2015 at 5:48 PM

You obviously have some pretty clean kitchen windows Jim!

Nice work all around on this one.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on January 4, 2015 at 6:23 PM

Ha! Kurt beat me to it! I was thinking I could never get that kind of sharpness through my windows (though in my defense we have two Saint Bernards and two Newfoundlands slobbering up ours...oh wait, look who I am talking to!).

More importantly, I TOTALLY LOVE JUNCOS. My daughter thinks I'm crazy every time I freak out when I see one. But have you ever seen me post a picture of one? Nope. I have none to post...like Luke, they have been extremely difficult for me. This is just a wonderful image, made all the more interesting by its exceptional detail and the very cool inclusion of the snowy coniferous perch. Top marks from me with more than a little jealousy thrown in.

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Jefferson Silva on January 4, 2015 at 6:52 PM

Cute bird, nice image, Jim.

Registered on December 18, 2012, 162 Posts, 975 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 4, 2015 at 6:55 PM

Nice exposure and detail. Hard to get this species off the ground like this.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on January 4, 2015 at 8:26 PM

Hey Jim,
Everyone has, again, beat me to the complimentary and funny comments so I will just agree, again, with what has already be said.
Well done . . .

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on January 4, 2015 at 8:56 PM

You guys are hilarious

. Shooting through dirty windows can provide a romantic flare to your images, or just a loss of contrast to those interested in reality. I usually get the windows cleaned before sunrise on a day of shooting from the kitchen window The big problem in addition to Newfie slobber are the cats which enjoy the feeder action and hog the windows. I am only able to photograph the bravest of avian species with the presence of cats. Thank you...........................Jim

Registered on January 17, 2004, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments

Comment posted by David Haynes on January 4, 2015 at 10:18 PM

Jim,
Excellent head turn, eye contact, catch light in the eye and wonderfully sharp. Really, really wish you has shown more of that nice perch he's using to sit on. Beautiful image Jim.

Registered on February 20, 2010, 110 Posts, 1511 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on January 4, 2015 at 10:27 PM

Hi Jim

A beautiful high key composition of this Junco . the detail ,perch and colors are all delightfully captured

Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on January 6, 2015 at 12:25 AM

Very nice, Jim. Unusual to see them perched like this. Good work getting the snow defined against that high-key background.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on January 6, 2015 at 9:27 PM

Well taken!! Like the detail, pose, BG and sharpness. Decided to try again for winter junco photos after taking a look at this one. thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Kaluski on January 7, 2015 at 3:07 PM

Hi Jim, having a bit more below I thing would be better, I just get the impression it's slipping out of frame, but composition can be oh so personal, so no worries. I might look at double processing to retrieve more tone & detail in the snow and needles.

TFS
Steve

Registered on March 25, 2007, 189 Posts, 1064 Comments