Category Archives: Birds

Not A “Mourning” Dove

January 25, 2017 by Tricia Booker Photography

It seems happy endings aren’t always easy to come by these days. My Facebook and Twitter feeds are regularly filled with angry, sad and frustrated posts, with the occasional cute puppy or gorgeous landscape thrown in by a well-meaning friend to break up the mood. So, it was with much happiness and relief that over the past two weeks we had our own small miracle here when one of our resident birds was saved by my friends at the Blue […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, bird photography, birdfeeder, Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, Chickadee, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, photography, rehabilitation, rescue

Migratory Bird Day

May 16, 2016 by Tricia Booker Photography

On May 14, Migratory Bird Day, the Virginia Working Landscapes hosted a bird walk at Oxbow Farm in Front Royal, Virginia, a hay farm at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains and adjacent to the Shenandoah River. We had an amazing morning and saw exactly 70 different species between 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. Because I wanted to focus on soaking up knowledge from the more experienced birders who would be leading and joining the walk, I chose to bring […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: artistic, bird, Fuji X-T10, FujiFilm, landscape, Migratory Bird Day, nature, Oxbow Farm, photography, Virginia, Virginia Working Landscapes

More Birds

May 3, 2016 by Tricia Booker Photography

For days it’s done nothing but rain here in Virginia, with a few short breaks that may or may not have included a bit of sun. In between the showers and thunderstorms, we managed to tackle some yard work over the weekend, mowed the grass and planted some flowers. I also cleaned the bird feeders and dug up an old one that was still salvageable from the last bear visit. I decided to fill it and hang it outside my […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: birds, FujiFilm, Fujifilm 100-400, Fujifilm X-T10, photography, spring, Virginia

Birds Are Back

April 28, 2016 by Tricia Booker Photography

The spring birds are back in full force, and my favorite little Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds arrived last weekend to enjoy the feeders I’d set up for them a week earlier. Having followed their migration online this year, I was ready, unlike last year when I was surprised to find them staring in the windows and hovering around the deck in mid-April, impatiently waiting for me to get my act together. While some of the birds of winter stay here all year […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: american goldfinch, bird photography, birds, Fuji X-T10, FujiFilm, Fujifilm 100-400, nature, photography, ruby throated hummingbird, spring, Virginia

Merry Christmas

December 25, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

Wishing you warm Holiday wishes and a Happy New Year!

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: artistic, bird, Merry Christmas, Nikon D800E, Northern Cardinal, photography, snow, winter

Afternoon at the Feeder

June 30, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

It was a busy day at the feeders, and an American Goldfinch even flew in for a quick drink and bath during a break in the action as the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds paused to rest. With more than a half-dozen birds tussling over the three feeders on our deck, you might think there’s a limited supply at hand. But, thanks to the recent news on the dangers of excess sugar in the diets of human beings, there’s plenty to spare in […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: american goldfinch, bird, bird feeder, nature, Nikon D810, photography, ruby throated hummingbird, Virginia

Happy Hummingbirds

June 18, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

After returning from New York on Monday night I finally managed to get the bird feeders cleaned and refilled today as well as the bird bath. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds seemed to truly appreciate the extra attention and spent time flying around my head while I sat on the deck tonight. They didn’t even seem to mind the click of the shutter as much, and if I stretched my imagination a bit I might even think it was their way of […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, nature, Nikon D810, photography, ruby throated hummingbird

Peppermint Flies

June 6, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

After five days of cold and rainy weather, Peppermint finally got out side to stretch her legs yesterday with a walk/run in the Arboretum. She enjoyed “chasing” the birds above her as we walked, but I don’t think they were too worried. They would just look down on her and chatter. The tree swallows even dive-bombed her on occasion, but she was so happy to be outside that I don’t even think she noticed. After a chilly and rainy start […]

Categories: Birds, Dogs, Photography • Tags: Arboretum, bird, dog, Jack Russell, Nikon D810, photography, tree swallow, Virginia

Bird Survey Morning

June 4, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

For the fifth year, I’m volunteering with the Virginia Working Landscapes program and conducting bird surveys. From mid-May to the end of June we’re surveying two fields in The Plains, Virginia, where we document the birds we see and hear for a certain amount of time in specific areas in a 100-meter radius. Each year I find my skills in identifying birds so much more improved. In fact, whenever I walk the dog or sit out on the deck, I’m […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography, Scenic • Tags: artistic, bird, field, Paris Valley, photography, Sony A7, sunrise, Virginia, Virginia Working Landscapes

Golf Course Photography

April 25, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

One of the biggest challenges I face on the golf course isn’t usually the errant lies of my golf balls. Instead, I have difficulty focusing on the shots with the club versus the shots with my camera. This dilemma was particularly evident when we traveled to Arizona last week. We played three courses in Mesa, Scottsdale and Tempe, and it was amazing how much wildlife joined us on the fairways and greens, especially as the cooler evening temperatures arrived. I […]

Categories: Birds, Golf, Nature, Photography • Tags: Arizona, birds, Desert Cottontail, finch, Gambel's Quail, golf, Greater Road Runner, hawk, Jack Rabbit, photography, Red-Tailed Hawk, Sony A7

Arizona Birdies

April 17, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

Over the years, I’ve learned you just never know what you’ll discover on a golf course, and this was especially true yesterday when we played Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona. It was a day filled with birdies of all kinds. In addition to those you’d expect while golfing, you know the birdies that you get when you finish a hole one shot under par, there were some of the feathered variety, too. From hummingbirds to doves to […]

Categories: Birds, Golf, Photography • Tags: Arizona, birds, cockatiel, golf, Las Sendas Golf Club, Mesa, photography, roadrunner, Sony A7

Snowy Egret

March 15, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

I spent an amazing afternoon at Brazos Bend State Park, where I enjoyed meeting some fantastic people as well as viewing some pretty cool birds. Last year when I traveled to Houston, Texas, I had the unfortunate luck of torrential rain on my excursion to the park. I ended up with some images, but the conditions were far from ideal. Today, I awoke to clouds and fog, but I went on with my plans. As I traversed the Texas countryside, […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, Brazos Bend State Park, fishing, nature, Nikon D810, photography, Snowy Egret, Texas

Loon Release

March 14, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

I’m fortunate to live near The Blueridge Wildlife Center, a facility that rescues and rehabilitates injured wildlife. Over the past several years, I’ve taken injured birds and animals to them, watched releases and observed their educational programs with my son. Last weekend I was thrilled to join them on a release, when they returned a loon, duck and goose back to the wild after they’d recovered from injuries. It was a touching scene as the three birds tasted freedom once again, […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, duck, goose, loon, Nikon D800E, photography, release, Shenandoah River, Virginia

Bright Blue Day

March 7, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

After our 9″ of snow on Thursday, today’s balmy temperatures in the high 30s with a bright, blue sky and warm March sun made me think spring. I had a wonderful day volunteering some time and my photography to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Millwood, Virginia, and caught up with my birding partner Hillary. We spent most of the afternoon on a variety of projects, including releasing, feeding and rescuing a variety of birds. While we were out feeding […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, blue, Blue Jay, Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, Millwood, Nikon D800E, photography, Virginia, winter

Wordless Wednesday

March 4, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: artistic, duck, Mallard, nature, photography, reflection, Sony A7, water, wordless Wednesday

Withstanding Winter

March 2, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

We withstood another weekend ice storm, only losing power on Sunday. It came back on overnight, just in time for us to prepare for school and work today. Now, the forecast is for more of the same tomorrow through Thursday, with ice and accumulating snow. I’m glad that my awesome UPS driver delivered another 40 pounds of bird seed today, just in time to refill all of the feeders. We even enjoyed observing a Northern Flicker at the feeder over […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: artistic, bird, nature, Nikon D800E, Northern Cardinal, photography, snow, winter

Cold Bird II

February 23, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

Today I revisited some of my bird photos from last winter to check the lenses and settings I’d used, and I came upon this Dark Eyed Junco that I hadn’t edited. I spent some time playing with it, taking out some background clutter with Macphun Snapheal Pro and using Intensify Pro to produce a bit more contrast in the shadowed face. The lighting wasn’t ideal for this shot, but since birds are generally hard to pose, sometimes you have to […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, cold, Dark-Eyed Junco, Macphun Snapheal Pro, Nikon D800E, photography, Virginia, winter

Brave Chickadee

February 9, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

The little Chickadee sometimes escapes my attention when the flamboyant Cardinals and adorable Carolina Wrens are dominating the bird feeders. But then I’ll go out into the yard to refill the bird feeders, and the Chickadees will be the only birds hovering nearby, just waiting for me to take a step away so they can fly over and enjoy the fresh seed. They may be diminutive and not all that flashy, but in my yard they’re the bravest of […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, bird feeder, brave, Chickadee, nature, Nikon D800E, photography, suet

Wordless Wednesday

February 4, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

Edited in Macphun Intensity Pro and Lightroom.

Categories: Birds, Photography • Tags: artistic, bird seed, birds, cardinal, Dark-Eyed Junco, Nikon D3s, photography, snow, winter, wordless Wednesday

Of Brown and Birds

January 31, 2015 by Tricia Booker Photography

I’m not sure how my UPS driver is feeling these days. I discovered this awesome bird seed on Amazon called Wagner’s Greatest Variety, and since I started ordering it, the number of birds in my yard has steadily grown in number and species. Yesterday, I counted more than 20 White-Throated Sparrows in the yard, along with a dozen Dark-Eyed Juncos and the usual collection of Tufted Titmouse, Cardinals, Goldfinches, Carolina Wrens, Chickadees, three woodpecker species, and the now-resident Yellow-Bellied […]

Categories: Birds, Nature, Photography • Tags: bird, bird seed, birdseed, photography, postaday, postaday2015, snow, Sony A7, UPS, Wagner's Greatest Variety, white-throated sparrow, winter

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