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Junco Junkie


Junco Junkie
Photo Information
Copyright: Lesley Mattuchio (Lesley) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 13 N: 913] (2988)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-12-29
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, Canon EF100-400 IS
Exposure: f/8, 1/400 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-12-30 7:13
Viewed: 1205
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I guess you could say I am a Junco Junkie...I adore these little winter visitors. They arrive in late October and stay until late April before heading back up north. They aren't a fancy or flashy looking bird, but there is just something about this bird that is eye pleasing for me. Perhpas it is the lovely slate colored gray with that little pink beak and the smooth white underbelly. They are easily spooked so can be a difficult subject and they travel in small flocks.

The Dark-eyed Junco is a member of the Sparrow family. They are small, slender, and cleanly marked with striking white outer tail feathers. The Dark-eyed comes in several subspieces that really only differ from each other in plumage and location. There is the Oregon,Pink-sided, White-winged, and Stale-colored...this little fella is the latter...a Slate-colored and is about the only one found in the eastern part of the US with some rare sightings of the Oregon type being reported.

I find the best way to photograph these little gems is to drop down on your knees and stay very still and let them gain some confidence and come out of the bushes. They are usually low in shrubs like this one was so being on your knees gives a better POV.
willie, Kirsten, mumek, Callie, milloup, ellis49, red45, thistle, Lourens, rlortie has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Beautiful bird,as always fantastic photo.

Beautiful bird, good composition and great note. Well done Lesley.
Happy New Year

hey Lesly!good shot with very good details!colours are good so is the compo.nice dof too!
well done.

  • Great 
  • mumek Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 121 W: 0 N: 183] (833)
  • [2004-12-30 7:58]

Lesley!
Very cute.
Lovely colors with very good background.
Happy New Year

Lovely little critter, Lesley
I like the wat he is presented in the fork, in the fork - 2 off. No nits.

Cute little feather ball puffed up against the cold. Inquisitive little beady eye, excellent sharpness, DOF and light, good POV, great colours.

Beautiful bird Lesley.
I like this one, go to my favorites.
Good composition , details and colours.
Great work.

Composition: ****
Sharpness: ****
Color: ***
DOF: ***
POV: ****

Great shot, pose and note.
Well done.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2816 W: 75 N: 7977] (26975)
  • [2004-12-30 11:52]

Great picture of cute bird.

Beautifull shot, Lesley. Did you say they are small and slender.........? Excellent.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2004-12-30 15:46]

I wanted to do a thighter crop in a ws, but having done that decided that your composition looks better. This is such a dainty little bird and you captured it with excellent sharpness. I like the lighting in the shot too.

Excellent work and thanks for posting. May you and your family have a wonderful and prosperous new year.

I absolutely agree with you about "these little winter visitors". There's something about them.
Your picture is perfect in every way. We can see the whole body: when taken from above, we do not see the white under the charcoal.

Cool bird. Wish we had such nice "sparrows" :)

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