Many of us have hung bird feeders in our back or front yards. We usually position them strategically near a window, so we can view their interesting activities throughout the course of the day. It's a gratifying experience, particularly when you start noticing the return of certain birds.
My family has become so attached to certain birds, we've taken accustom to naming them. For instance, when a cardinal couple actually built a nest near our feeder, we started calling them 'Phil' and 'Phyllis,' named after our street address of St. Phillips Boulevard.
However, we did set up our feeder at a good distance from our window, so we didn't alarm them or defeat our purpose of spying on them. On occasion, we would snap photos from indoors our home, or when we were out in the yard gardening. Today, we learned that is an alternative way to photoshoot our birds that we would like to share with you.
Bird Watcher 'Ostdrossel'
Lisa Cavanary of Macomb Township, Michigan, an avid bird lover who has taken bird feeder watching to another level.
Branding herself with the moniker 'Ostdrossel on her social media accounts, she got up close and personal with a good number of bird species she witnessed in her backyard. Over time, she has amassed thousands of images, capturing a wide variety of birds and their funny expressions, majestic poses and sometimes crazy behavior. However her method of photographing them was quite unique, particularly since she was not present when the photos were taken.
Next step, Feeder Cam . . .
In tandem, while experimenting with all kinds of treats to lure the birds in, she affixed a camera unit to the feeder. Its ingenious make-up consisted of a camera box, a macro lens and an attachable feeder. Equipped with a motion sensor, when birds came to dine, the cam photographed them in a non-intrusive way.
A photoshoot now takes place every day in Lisa’s yard under any weather conditions.
Her usual evening routine was to review an impressive number of photos taken during the day that sometimes reached on upwards of 7000 images.
Personalities of Birds . . .
Since the visitors to Lisa’s feeder don’t know they are being photographed, they can let their personalities shine for the camera. And shine they do.
My Modern Met's contributor Sarah Barnes noted, "We get a glimpse of two mourning doves nuzzling beaks and a couple of other birds who look like they are in a shouting match. But some of the most fascinating images are of the solo creatures enjoying a mid-day snack. Lisa’s camera has snapped pictures of a crow who has a toothy grin made of a mouthful of kernels as well as a blackbird showing off the giant moth it’s about to feast on."
Readers, have you experimented with bird cams at your outdoor feeders? If so, let us know your experience and send samples. We look forward to reviewing them.
Primary Source: Bored Panda
