European Starling perched in a Crabapple tree – Nikon D500, f6.3, 1/800, ISO 800, +2.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
In the past month I have posted quite a few images that have a high key look to them. Winter’s fog and snow can have that effect when I go out to photograph birds and the weather takes a turn for the worse. Three days ago when it was snowing, blowing and there were thick clouds overhead I did go looking for birds close to home.
I found the American Robins and European Starlings eating ripened crabapples to help get them through the bitter cold temps. The robins and starlings don’t seem to start feeding on the crabapples until February here in northern Utah.
I didn’t take many images of the European Starlings that afternoon but that is only because the robins came in closer and the starlings seemed to stay a bit farther away.
I think European Starlings look especially striking in their winter plumage. When this European Starling perched in a Crabapple tree close to me during the snowstorm I was able to get a few photos of it before my hands started to hurt from the cold.
My job, if you can call what I do a job because it is actually more of an obsessive passion than work, is to photograph birds. Wild birds. That means I photograph birds of many kinds so when I have European Starlings close enough to me I will photograph them.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my European Starling photos plus facts and information about this species.
I concur about the striking plumage of the European Starling. It is striking with almost any type of background, but it really pops off the page with the white snow background.
So many of the often overlooked birds are spectacularly beautiful IF you look. Thank you.
I’ll photograph a European Starling any time that I have the opportunity to do so. These birds may be invasive and there may be hundreds of millions of them, but that doesn’t detract one iota from their beauty. Great image!
I’m happy to hear that I am not the only one Steven. I know photographers that drive or walk right past them. They are beautiful.
Oh, wow! The detail is magnificent!
Thanks Kim.