New vagaries in bird photography

Today began with freezing rain that degenerated into all day rain.

I set up the camera on the tripod under the front door overhang, 

after I saw the red bellied woodpecker on the safflower block.

It left, of course, but at least I had the tripod to keep the camera steady. 

A chickadee and a nuthatch.

I noticed the birds sharing the feeders today, no adverse possession.

I wonder if it was the foulness of the weather that fostered sharing.

The nuthatch.

Several of the bold little chickadees were around my feet on the porch,

cleaning up stray seeds from the seed cans.

I couldn't manipulate the tripod down, so they went unphotographed,

The little piggy finch.

They always share the feeder.

Last year the finch used mostly the mesh niger feeder, and if full to the top,

the feeder was invisible for finch.

This year the girls are putting the niger/cracked sunflower mix in this feeder and it has a lot of finch at the plate.

A female cardinal.

With the camera on the tripod the initial framing was not too easy,

and once framed, the birds might not cooperate.

I've also noticed that while the camera makes no sound to startle the birds,

they are very attuned to the big lens, as if, 

"My god, if the eye is that big, how big is the preditor?!"

and off they fly when I move the lens.

 A sparrow I do not recognize.

Or perhaps a female purple finch.

A purple finch and a male cardinal.

A cardinal. I see them seldom, perching at a feeder.

They prefer being flat footed at a tray feeder, or ground feeding.

However, the seed on the ground is pretty wet.

Or the doves and the blue jays already cleaned it up.

Peace among birds.

The cardinal, the purple finch, and a chickadee.

 And, a female cardinal.

For all I moaned about waist deep snow last year,

it made a better background.

No more pictures from the porch.

The birds are too aware of the BIG EYE.

They all are comfortable with cars coming and going in the drive, and

I can hold my elbows steady on the window ledge, so

back to bird pictures from the car window.

Also a warmer venue.