The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
A couple built this nest high in a Clematis that climbs a trellis on a corner deck post. I can see it from the house and watched them obviously lay eggs. I put a ladder on the deck where I could keep an eye on them from a distance and five eggs turned into three chicks. I would occasionally climb the ladder and peek and got a few pictures in the last week. They never seemed to mind me and this is the only one where they looked like they were ready to be fed. Mostly they were sleeping. This shot was the 25th. Then two days ago, the 27th, I checked them in the morning and they were fine. I went out for several hours and came home to an empty nest!!! It wasn’t torn down, just emptied. I am heartbroken! I suspect ground squirrels, who are able climbers. A couple of weeks ago I saw a ground squirrel being fiercely attacked by, and desperately fleeing from, a male Western Bluebird!
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Fill flash with a large diffuser. About a 50% crop.
A sweet shot, Diane. Great sharpness around the three heads. I’m interested in the nest material - lichen and what’s the black and white stuff? It looks so cozy for them.
Darn squirrels have a lot to answer for - there’s plenty of better things for them to eat, and they seem to get round any barrier.
A fine documentary image, Diane. Artisically, I’d like to see the large left srem go, but it certainly wouldn’t be ethical to remove it physically. Lots of predators on baby birds and the squirrel family is probably an underrated one.
Thanks, @Mike_Friel and @Dennis_Plank! I would have liked that stem cut out too, and considered it but it was supporting the nest just below the bottom of the picture. The structure would probably have survived the pruning (and the plant needs a major haircut) but I didn’t want to take a chance.
The “decorations” all around the edges of the nest are poops. Quite amazing. Most of the nest is Lace Lichen, with some horse hair.
What a sweet shot, but oh the heartbreak of dead nestlings. Chipmunks will take them, too, if they can. Seems so unfair. Glad you were on the spot for some of it though.
