A male northern cardinal can make a gray winter morning feel brighter. I photographed this one on a cold, snowy day here in Arkansas.
Snow and feeders are a good combo if you want backyard bird action.
Wildlife Notes
This was a male Northern Cardinal, and he stood out against the snow. The bright red body, tall crest, and black face mask made the ID easy.
On snowy days, birds often show up more predictably at feeders. Natural food gets covered up, so an easy meal matters. I photographed this bird while I sat in my yard near the feeder in Lavaca, Arkansas.
If you enjoy winter feeder birds, this post pairs well with my other yard photos from a snowy stretch: Birds In The Snow Here In Arkansas
Photography Notes
I set up close to the feeder and stayed still. I had my camera and lens on a tripod, which helped a lot in the cold.
Gear used
- Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS
- Support: Tripod
Settings
- Location: Lavaca, Arkansas
- Date & time: January 30, 2010 (09:46 A.M.)
- Aperture: f/4.0
- Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
- ISO: 800
- Exposure compensation: +7/3
- Focal length: 500 mm
Snow can fool a camera meter and turn whites gray. I leaned on positive exposure compensation here, and I watched the bright areas so I did not lose detail.
Closing
Winter weather is tough on small birds, but it can make for clean backgrounds and bold color. When the forecast turns cold, I keep the feeder stocked and my tripod ready.