<< Previous Next >>

Dark-eyed Junco


Dark-eyed Junco
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Great Workshops [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-04-08 16:47
Viewed: 650
Points: 44
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Todays capture is an "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco. He was a visitor at work today.

Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
General Description
The Dark-eyed Junco is a complex species consisting of five or more recognizable subspecies, some of which were themselves once considered separate species. Three of these subspecies breed in Alberta. The "Slate-coloured" Junco (the quotation marks denote a subspecies), well-known to eastern birders, is a common breeder in the coniferous and mixed-wood forests of northern Alberta south to the edge of the parklands, and south to Jasper National Park in the Rocky Mountains. The "Oregon" Junco, the subspecies familiar to birders in southern and western B.C., is a common breeder in the Rocky Mountains and foothills from the United States border north to Banff National Park, and has been reported nesting in the Jasper region. The "Pink-sided" Junco is the third, and breeds in the Cypress Hills. The "Slate-coloured" Junco is itself a complex of three recognized subspecies, two of which occur in Alberta: cismontanus in the mountains, and hyemalis (the widespread junco of eastern Canada) across the rest of northern Alberta. Hybridization is common where two ranges are in contact or overlap; in fact, cismontanus may be a stable hybrid between "Oregon" and "Slate-coloured". Because hybridization between subspecies remains localized and hasn't propagated into the population as a whole, there has been a suggestion that at least some of the subspecies may be distinct species after all.

Dark-eyed Juncos breed across almost all of Alaska and Canada south of the treeline except for the prairies and parklands. They occur year-round in western North America from the southern half of B.C. and Alberta, again excluding the prairies and parklands, south to somewhat north of the Mexican border, and are winter residents over the prairies and parklands and south and east across almost the whole of the lower 48 states and much of northern Mexico. They are, however, not very numerous in Alberta in winter. Northward migration in Alberta starts in March and peaks in April. Southward migration builds through September to a peak in October, then extends in smaller numbers to the end of November.

Juncos are ground-feeders. Insects and other arthropods form the bulk of their diet in the spring and summer, and weed and grass seeds and waste grain in the fall and winter. Arthropods of choice include caterpillars, beetles, ants, spiders, grasshoppers and wasps.

The female builds an open-cup nest on the ground, or occasionally in the fork or crotch of a branch in a tree or shrub. The male helps by bringing some of the nest materials. The nest can be in any of a wide variety of situations, such as under vegetation, among tree roots, partially concealed under a stump, rock, or log, under overhanging moss on a hillside, or at the base of a building. The Birds of British Columbia, Vol. 4, reports nests built in hanging baskets, one of which was "watered every day". The nest is a deep, open cup made from grass, rootlets, bark, twigs, and moss, and lined with softer grasses, moss, and hair. A typical clutch is 3 to 5 pale blue-green eggs with reddish-brown speckles concentrated near the wide end of the egg. The female incubates the eggs for 11 to 13 days, leaving only for brief rounds of foraging, while the male sings and defends the territory. Both parents feed the young, which fledge 9 to 13 days after hatching.
angela926, CeltickRanger, gerbilratz, eqshannon, JPlumb, Jamesp, ramthakur, Proframe, uleko, MMM, jaycee, fartash, Tamrock has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hello Rick,
Fantastic capture, good sharpness and depth
of field, nice composition and point of view,
lovely colors and nice light.
Angela

Fine capture Rick......Not sure if I have seen these either??? I get so lost...so many birds!
Bob

Hi Rick,
Nice shot. Good details and sharpness.
TFS
Wei

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 644 W: 160 N: 894] (2837)
  • [2008-04-08 20:43]

Hi Rick, very nice close shot of this Junco. These birds can be difficult to shoot with the black eye against the black feathers, but you've made it look easy here. Colour is good in the shot and you have excellent detail of the plumage and you got the catch light. You must have been right on top of this guy, shooting at an f10, yet the background is nicely muted with your depth of field. Nice work.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 0 N: 5107] (15234)
  • [2008-04-08 23:14]

Hi Rick

There is great excitement amongst UK bird-watchers, as one of these has been spotted here. A lovely shot - good composition and POV with good colour and detail. Well observed and captured.

James

Hello Rick,

Beautiful picture of this junco. Good composition. Very good POV, DOF and focus. Beautiful light and colours. Same thing that for your precedent post, you could have increase the contrast a little bit.
Cheers,
Mariki

PS: in the last WS, I did a mistake, increase the contrast once and decrease the gamma correct twice.

Super close-up shot of this cute little bird, Rick.
Very sharp focus on the entire subject. The dark eye is so well delineated in this great image.
Well done and thanks.
Ram

Lovely image and great note Rick.
Most wonderful pose of the little bird, catchlight in the eye, feather details and soft color tones in the BG.
Technically excellent work with perfect composition, sharpness and exposure.
A real joy to look at. TFS!!!

Have a nice day, Harry

wonderful capture,great sharpness,beautiful colors and very nice composition!

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2008-04-09 4:44]

Hello Rick,
such cute model this Junco.
The composition is lovely. I like the lighting and the wonderful pastel colored BG. Excellent sharpness, and wonderful POV.
TFS..Sky

hello Rick

excellent shot of this Junco, fine POV and framing, excellent DOF,
lovely sharpness and details of the foreground, lovely catch-light
at the eye, i love that this bird is posed on a wire barbed fence,
it give the taste of country the bird posing on that fence, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2585 W: 170 N: 7879] (24911)
  • [2008-04-09 7:06]

Hello Rick,
Lovely capture of this pretty little Junco. Great focus on the keen eye and I like its pose. Beautiful sharp details and fine colours of the plumage.
Many thanks, Ulla

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 787 W: 0 N: 1581] (7260)
  • [2008-04-09 7:28]

Hi Rick
Beautiful closed image.I look like it will come out of the screen.Sharp image with good detail.Nice OOF BG and nice catchlight in the eye.
TFS Michel

Hello Rick, the dof is amazing and the birds capture is excellent, the light on the eye is first rate. TFS Regards, h

Hello Rick,
Beautiful photo of this Dark-eyed Junco. Great sharpness and details and a very good composition. On my screen is noise in the BG and I think a little bit more contrast is possible. So I made a workshop. I hope you don't mind.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1911 W: 8 N: 4976] (16095)
  • [2008-04-09 9:57]

Hi Rick,

This is a beautiful Junco with the sweetest looking face. I love the pose on the wire. Beautiful colors and fine details of this lovely bird I have never seen for real. A perfect background and superb composition.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Nilson Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 354 W: 0 N: 300] (2268)
  • [2008-04-09 10:48]

Ola Rick
Bonita foto dete encantador passaro, as cores são agradaveis e bem definidas, o contraste tambem ficou muito bom.
Parabens
Nilson

Hi Rick,

Very good picture of Dark-eyed Junco. The most important is that you have presented a very nicely detailed and sharp bird including the famous dark eye;-) Good pose and composition, very good work.

TFS

Pekka

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2130 W: 9 N: 5960] (22528)
  • [2008-04-09 12:28]

Hi Rick. Cute little one this is I think its the rounded head. Good detail and natural looking colours. with a good POV/DOF. well done TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1812 W: 29 N: 5246] (17188)
  • [2008-04-09 19:44]

Hi Rick,
Wonderful shot of this Dark-eyed Junco in a fine pose and expression. Great management of harsh natural light and exposure levels and superb details and colours on its plumage. The BG looks so pleasant. Excellent DOF, POV ands composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hello Rick
Excellent shot of this Dark-eyed Junco,
Great focusing,composition and BG,Superb shot my friend.

Regards
Fartash

hi rick!
very good shot on this beautiful bird in
a nice lightning and with good pov and dof!
well done!

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF