Indigo Bunting, male

Perhaps my favorite Neotropical migrant, these birds return every spring around mid-April to raise a new brood. There are a handful of males and several females (not sure how many) lending their beauty and song to my yard. I never tire of taking photos of these birds.

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Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Canon 60D, Canon 70-300 IS USM zoom @ 280mm, f/5.6, 1/180 sec., ISO 1600, Hand Held. Processed in ACR and PSE 2020 for exposure, sharpness, and cropping. Topaz De-noise applied.

3 Likes

Hi Terry
Love the coloring on this Indigo Bunting. The framing , head turn and eye contact are very nice also. The photograph looks a little soft.
Peter

I agree with Peter that the bird and perch are both a bit soft, Terry, but you caught an excellent pose and the color is awesome.

Thanks @Peter_Morrissey @Dennis_Plank. I, too thought the image a bit soft, but I didn’t want to waste that pose or those colors. I’ve been shooting small birds in heavily overcast conditions the last few days, and can’t seem to get the sharpness I want. I’m thinking the autofocus just won’t lock on in these dim light situations.

Hi Terry
I think the Bunting’s indigo coloring and the soft light, worked against your camera auto focus. Thank you for posting this photograph.
Peter

1 Like

I can see why you love having them around Terry, certainly a striking bird. You caught a great pose here, with him perched on a diagonal stick and slight turn of the head. Nice catchlight in his eye too so overall a very worthy shot to share.

1 Like

Hi Terry! Beautiful photo! The bright blue and green contrast so well! I especially love the pose! The way he’s looking over his shoulder, lowering his head, and making eye contact is so cute! He must be a professional model! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Hi, Vanessa. Thanks! They are cute birds.