Male lesser goldfinch (Texas form)

[Tom Barry]

In an oak tree just off our back upper deck. These are very small birds, larger than a hummingbird, but not by much:
Male lesser goldfinch, Texas form by tombarry975, on Flickr

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

A good capture!
What was the distance from this small bird and you?
Antonio.

[Tom Barry]

Thanks, John.

[Tom Barry]

A good capture!
What was the distance from this small bird and you?
Antonio.

About 8 feet, using a 25mm extension tube on an EF 400mm f/5.6L lens on a 70D, for an effective focal length of 640mm. The bird is less than half the size presented here.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Congratulations!
Here, I can not stand less than 17 feet from the birds because they are very skittish.

[Cantab]

A nicely composed and absolutely sharp image.

Do you have a bird feeder? We have a couple of feeders and continue to be amazed how close we can get without the birds showing any sign of being skittish.

[Tom Barry]

Our problem is squirrels, Bruce. They are incredibly clever little rodents, and can find ways to defeat almost any bird-feeder system. A few years ago we settled on one feeder mounted by suction cups to a window in our second-floor living room. The squirrels can't reach it. The lower section of the window slides open and we can reach up to the top section where the feeder is mounted, slip off the container for filling and cleaning. We also throw bird seed on the ground below and put some on a piece of wood on the railing of the second-floor back deck. We have a fountain on that deck for the birds and squirrels to drink. And feeders hung under the eaves for the hummingbirds. They're all happy, and I can photograph them to my heart's content.