Although the sun was shining brightly yesterday, it seemed to be generating little heat and the gusts of wind made staying outdoors uncomfortable after a short while. Even the birds in the neighborhood seemed to have taken shelter, with the exception of this Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) that I was able to photograph as it foraged for food.
At other times of the year, the cheerful, energetic calls of the mockingbird announce its presence long before my eyes detect it. This mockingbird, however, was completely silent and seemed to be minimizing its expenditure of energy as it sought to sustain itself in the frigid temperatures.
Returning indoors to the warmth of my house, I pondered anew the question of how these fragile creatures are able to survive during the winter. (It’s about 13 degrees outside (minus 10 C) as I make this posting.)
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
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Good Photo!:-)
Thanks. I am pretty happy with the way that it turned out. (The bird was going in and out of the branches and I wasn’t sure if I had gotten a clear shot.)
It’s -15 here right now and I’m wondering the same thing. I hope they all make it through. That’s an excellent shot of a bird I wish would decide to live in my yard.
I can well imagine that lots of folk, large and small, are grumbling about your cold snap out there. It’s a balmy 18F here, but there’s a pretty stiff wind again. Beautiful shot of the mockingbird, Mike!
The front’s to reach us later tonight. Maybe they have “hunkering” places and/or positions we don’t know about.
One of your better recent photos, Mike — nice clarity, color, and composition!
Thanks, Walter.It helped that there was a lot of light (even if it was bitterly cold).
Awesome shot! Thanks for sharing.
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That’s a beautiful photo, Mike, clear, crisp, and colorful.
Thanks. For me, it’s rare to get all three of those characteristics in a single photo.