Song Sparrow on a frosty Utah morning – D200, f8, 1/500, ISO 400, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Sometimes life gets so busy that it takes me quite awhile to edit some of the images I take, this Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) photo is one of those. This was taken October 6, 2009 and just this morning is when I got around to post processing the file.
I see Song Sparrows mostly in the winter, spring and fall here in Utah but they are year round residents. I think the reason I don’t see them in the summer is that where I go shooting in the summer months isn’t in the habitat that they prefer. I do know that I thoroughly enjoy hearing the song sparrows sweet calls and seeing them flit amongst the dried pigweed, grasses and phragmites.
There were some out of focus dried wild sunflower seedheads to the left and below my copyright symbol that I cloned out because they were a little distracting. I prefer to leave my images as shot and by being aware of the background when I am in the field I rarely have to resort to cloning. The clone work I did on this photo was an exception for me but I felt this picture was worth saving. I really like the weather worn detail in the old fence, the light and I especially like the dried blade of grass in the bird’s bill.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Song Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.