Adult White-crowned Sparrow with a Pumpkin Patch background – Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 800, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited, called in or set up
This is my fourth fall in Utah and I love the autumn colors I see here especially compared to the relatively bland fall colors of Florida where I lived for five years.
There is a rather large Pumpkin Patch near the road going to the Nature Center at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area where I like to photograph birds. They have a straw maze and all kinds of activities for children too. Along the road they grow tall sunflowers and corn and that usually keeps the pumpkins hidden from view but there is a narrow window of time after the frost nips the leaves of the sunflowers when they dry up and fall off when the bright oranges of the pumpkins can be seen through them. I’ve waited four autumns to get photos like these with birds and the oranges of the pumpkins in the background.
Red-winged Blackbird with a Pumpkin Patch background – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 800, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited, called in or set up
Today there were White-crowned Sparrows (first image) and flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds (above) feeding on the seeds of the sunflowers with the pumpkin patch in the background!
I’m very excited to have finally gotten images that I had hoped to take for 4 years. I just had to share these.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my White-crowned Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here to see more of my Red-winged Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.
What a fun way to celebrate fall, Mia! I love the subtle colors mixing in the background.
Thanks Tami!
What stunning colors! The color on the wing of the red wing blackbird matches the background almost perfectly!
Thank you Holly.
I love that background color, and the colors of the birds are so complementary.
Thank you Julie.
Hi! Love to look at your birds! They look like they could hop out and walk around my desk. Ha ha
perfect time of the year for pumpkin colors. Keep up the great pictures.
Thanks Mom!
Mia:
I found a good deal on pumpkin seeds on the web, but I don’t think Betty is going to let me plant them in the yard. Guess I will need to find another strategy for getting photos with marvelous backgrounds like those in this post. The photos were worth waiting four years to capture.
Dave
Thanks Dave, I’m not sure I’d want a pumpkin patch in my yard either but finding a patch locally might be a great option!
Wonderful closeups. Since living here, I have always associate White Crowned Sparrows with Christmas as they seem to be the first bird I will see here on Christmas morning. I love the colors ( and colours) in these shots
Thanks Stu, it must be nice to have the White-crowned Sparrows be the first bird you see on Christmas!
The colors are beautiful, Mia, and the orange in the background brings out the orange in the blackbird!
Thank you Charlotte, I liked how the background & oranges in the blackbird compliment each other too.
Outstanding!
Thanks Judy!
That orange glow works great and the red-winged black bird is awesome!
Thank you Maria
I know what you mean when you want to take photos of something but it doesn’t present itself the way you want. I love the backgrounds of these images. Beautiful photos. Carol
Thanks Carol, I love the vibrant color in the background.
I’m glad you did share them:) They are beautiful……love the orangeish blur:)
Thanks Chris!
Beautiful, thank you for the last 4 years trying.
Thank you for commenting Bob!