It started with perching birds.
When Katherine and I began to get more seriously (though not seriously) into birding, I took photos of the birds so that we could identify them later. My eyes aren’t great and I couldn’t always tell — even through the camera lens — what we were looking out. Plus, they were so few birds that I could identify by sight even if I could see it.
The backyard was a good place to start. This California Scrub Jay (which I originally just identified as a blue bird with a white belly) was eating our persimmons. Look closely and you can see that he has a piece in his mouth. I was torn between chasing him off (I love persimmons) and taking his picture. The picture won out.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.kathyhawksbirdandphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perched-0106.jpg?resize=920%2C614&ssl=1)
Moving further afield, getting two birds in one picture — especially Great Horned Owls — was a thrill. (You may think I am easily thrilled 😆.)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.kathyhawksbirdandphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perched-.jpg?resize=851%2C1024&ssl=1)
Some of the birds, like Bushtits and the below Oak Titmouse, search for insects among the leaves and twigs of trees and shrubs. Catching them upside down is always fun.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.kathyhawksbirdandphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perched-9731.jpg?resize=920%2C828&ssl=1)
This is almost an iconic photo taken by Katherine when we were in Montana. She was using a Panasonic Lumix. It’s almost a point and shoot camera but it has an amazing zoom for a camera of its size and weight.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.kathyhawksbirdandphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perched-41669.jpg?resize=834%2C1024&ssl=1)
This Cooper’s Hawk was pointed out to us by a woman at Antonelli Pond one day. He was sitting on a low branch and posed for several pictures for me.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.kathyhawksbirdandphotoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perched-0188.jpg?resize=920%2C790&ssl=1)
Once I got reasonably proficient at taking pictures of birds that were basically sitting still for me, I needed a greater challenge. I needed to catch them vocalizing. Birds make different kinds of sounds for different reasons. The Cornell Lab some cool information about that on their site. I have been trying to learn the bird sounds so I can more easily identify them. The Spotted Towhee, seen in the gallery below, has one song that I can usually identify. When I hear that song, I can usually find the bird.
Below are pictures of birds caught in the middle of making a sound or singing a song.
In my next post, we’ll see how I do when I decide that I need another challenge; catching birds mid-song isn’t enough anymore.😉