The tufted titmouse is a lot shyer than the chickadees. Each species of bird that comes to the feeder has it's own limitations on how close they'll let me approach. With the chickadees I can get within three or feet of the feeder and they'll still go to it. The nuthatches about ten feet, the titmouse it's about twenty feet. I have my feeder on the edge of a wooded area so at twenty feet back there are a lot of branches to get in the way of getting a decent photograph. When I go out to take photos I usually stand in one spot for about an hour at a time, if you stand still long enough the birds get used to you. I finally got these two photographs when the titmouse landed in a spot that was fairly unobstructed by branches.
10 comments:
Your patience was rewarded with beautfiul shots! I find the titmouse one of the bravest of the feeder birds....since I do mostly feeder shots. Some of the others see the focus light and take off. Sometimes I stand in my open garage door and watch the birds in the area around the maple tree. You are right that they will ignore you if you are quiet for a long time.
Your patience did indeed pay off. Great pictures!
I take pictures directly from my kitchen window so many times they don't eve see me. If I do try and approach them, they take off from me too. That is why it is so frustrating to get decent tufted titmouse pictures. Hyper little birds they are!
Yes, Titmice are a real challenge. They are very timid creatures. But this is titmouse habitat. My preference is to include some elements of background to document what is going on. I like both photos and do not find the other elements distracting.
Thanks so much for these wonderful photos. Titmice have always been among my very favorite bird, but we rarely get them here in Waldo County. That made me pine for them for several years, but this year a robust group of three or four RB Nuthatches have made me expand my list of favorites: what great little guys--and fabulous head stripes, no?
This is a bird high on my want list...
I wish we had them here !
You have great patience. I've learned that if I stand still long enough they will come but I don't often want to wait that long. I'm still working on my patience.
:-) Beautiful shots.
Beautiful.. the depth of field on these is great... I would have been shivering to much for the shot after standing there for an hour in this weather...
We have some around here, but rarely come around close enough
Just great John...I don't get these birds here at my house...not enough trees I suppose.
Great photos. I live a little south of you in Massachusetts, and like you I was recently able to capture a few pictures of one near my home. Looks like you might have been able to get a little closer than I could, though. I just posted my attempt on my blog, if you're interested. Nice site, I'll be back for more.
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