Máistir Nádúraí: Brush Piles

11.11.2007

Brush Piles

Using fallen sticks from our trees, here is a brush pile I placed on our patio next to the deck. I have two larger ones near the back of our yard along with a ground birdbath. Fallen leaves make the piles seem a little more natural, more so than a typical feeding platform, anyway. Sprinkling birdseed in front of the sticks completes the setup and doesn't take long to attract a lot birds, especially sparrows.

The skies were overcast today, but digiscoping from the kitchen provided the advantage of being super close to the action, which meant faster shutter speeds from employing minimum focal length. Of course, it's still such high magnification that it's difficult to frame an entire bird unless they're turned toward me a little, but the results are enjoyable to look at. It's also fun to pop off the camera and view the birds through the scope at close range.

Dark-eyed Junco

White-throated Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Waunakee backyard birds – 11/11/2007:

Mourning Dove

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Blue Jay

American Crow

Black-capped Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

Cedar Waxwing

Fox Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

House Finch

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Dark-eyed Junco

House Sparrow

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range firearms. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry and has more binoculars than you.