THIS WEEK’S THEME: AN ARKANSAS BACKYARD

Five encounters from a morning spent photographing the birds visiting my sister’s backyard feeding station in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas.

​​​​Scientific names

​​Sitta carolinensis · Poecile atricapillus

Taxonomic groups

Sittidae — Nuthatches
Paridae — Tits, Chickadees & Titmice

Click photograph to view full size

A photograph is worth a thousand words, but the story makes it worth a few more.

BACKSTORY

Some photographs are memorable because everything comes together perfectly—light, background, pose and sharpness. Others are memorable simply because of the moment. While photographing birds at my sister’s feeders in Arkansas, I caught this White-breasted Nuthatch coming in for a landing beside a Black-capped Chickadee. With its feet stretched forward and wings swept back, the nuthatch’s rather ungraceful approach made me smile. The chickadee seemed to have a front-row seat for the arrival.

IMAGE DETAILS

LOCATION INFORMATION: Gary and Jan’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Fairfield Bay, Greers Ferry Lake, AR · September 17, 2023
EQUIPMENT INFORMATION: Canon EOS R5 · Canon RF 100–500mm + RF 1.4x Extender
SETTINGS INFORMATION: 560mm · ƒ/9 · 1/640 sec · ISO 1250