Chickadee Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Hilton Falls is a natural treat with great hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails, a conservation area close to Toronto where I usually go for cross-country skiing.
These little birds, “black capped chickadee” (Poecile atricapillus) –I will start giving more details using the good example of Milloup.

The little birds come to your hand and they will take any seed you offer. The sensation is great. The distinguishing vocalization "chick-a-dee-dee" of the Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most complex vocalizations in the animal kingdom.
The chickadee is largely an insect eater but being in constant motion and will appreciate lots of high energy food. In my case they enjoyed the sun flower seeds. They will typically take one seed from your hand, fly away and perch nearby to eat it. Chickadees will visit your “feeder” one at a time, while other chickadees wait nearby for their turn, usually.
But sometime, if you offer them sun-flower seeds especially in winter time, you can have the chance to see (and feel) two of these light-weighted birds come to eat from your hand.

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milloup (1829) 2004-03-27 10:24

Beautifully, soft-looking birds, soft colours and light, background nicely out-of-focus. Maybe a touch more sharpening needed. It must be wonderful to visit a place where the birds are so tame, that they come and sit on your hand for feeding ;-). I used to keep budgies, and I still miss the feel of little, eager feet gripping my fingers from time to time..
Ideas for improvement next time: Try holding the birds in a way where you can see the heads of both birds - this may be difficult, if you're holding the birds *and* shooting them, I know, but alternatively you could get someone else to hold the birds at stretched arm, so you still get a clean background.