Be still and they will come

[purplehaze]

I think I have a good temperament for birding in that I am able to sit quietly for long periods of time, doing absolutely nothing. That is what it takes to capture a lot of those little songbirds. There are spots down at the lake that are just full of music from unseen sources, or sources that are too fleeting to properly seize with one's vision, let alone the camera. But if you just sit quietly for long enough, they will not only show themselves, they will pose. (Luckily, I had a park bench to sit on; I might have the temperament for this hobby, but the body is somewhat less accommodating.)

#1



#2



#3

[DanK]

Wonderful images. I prefer #1.


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[Geoff F]

There is an unfortunate leaf over the bird's head in the first image. The others have some leaves covering parts of the bird but they are over areas which don't matter so much.

The third image is the sharpest focus. But all are good.

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Dan and Geoff. I wasn't actually bothered by the leaf, being quite thrilled to capture the bird at all. Maybe I will become more demanding over time, but I think I kind of like the partial obscuring, as it underscores what is for me the bird's elusiveness and mystery.

[Dave Humphries]

Lovely pictures Janis,

Personally I might have cropped a little from the top of #1 and #3 myself, but I'm being overly piccy.

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Dave. I’ll take another look.

[CatherineA]

Beautiful photos of this lovely warbler. So much detail and so expressive.

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Catherine. He was a charmer, for sure.

[lesno1]

Lovely images Janis wish we had them in UK PS do you like HENDRIX ?

[Marwus]

Lovely pictures Thread name says it all :-D sit just for few minutes almost anywhere and life is all around suddenly. And also i understand why you was not bothered by leaf, i love to make and see pictures of birds with bit of surrounding. It will say more about them in my opinion. And sometimes, in wildlife photography you have just two options, photo with bit of leaf or no photo at all. I prefer first variant, even if it just for me to help me remember that moment

[purplehaze]

Thanks, Les and David.

Les, my username is inspired both by the Hendrix tune and by the Jenny Joseph poem that begins, "When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple", so the haze I am referencing is that of the ageing brain. The Hendrix lyrics are getting more resonant all of the time, though:

"Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?"

[lesno1]

Thanks, Les and David.

Les, my username is inspired both by the Hendrix tune and by the Jenny Joseph poem that begins, "When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple", so the haze I am referencing is that of the ageing brain. The Hendrix lyrics are getting more resonant all of the time, though:

"Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?"

Very good Janis just as long as you dont kiss the sky , a friend of mine knew Jimi well gigged with him in the states

[xpatUSA]

Very good Janis just as long as you don't kiss the sky, a friend of mine knew Jimi well gigged with him in the states

Speaking of the sky, I once saw a purple haze from above. Took off in calm, hazy conditions from Sturgate Airport in Lincolnshire and, as I climbed, the airplane broke into bright clear air through a horizon-to-horizon, perfectly flat, purple "surface". An awesome sight, remembered to this day ...

[rpcrowe]

My wife says I can do nothing better than anyone she knows

[purplehaze]

a friend of mine knew Jimi well gigged with him in the states

The next best thing to being great is being in its presence. What a privilege your friend had.

I once saw a purple haze from above.

I didn't know that was a real phenomenon.

My wife says I can do nothing better than anyone she knows

It's an underappreciated skill.

[Wavelength]

Lovely images; the overhanging leaf in the first image helps to tell the shy nature of this little bird and thus adds to the originality of the image; third image is the sharpest, but my liking order is 1 > 3 > 2.