Watch the birdie

Normally, I would crop this tightly so I can see the bird better.  But I think I like this photo as-is, because I can see exactly why this house sparrow likes these bushes so much.  I often hear them in this bush, but it isn't often I get to see them, and you can, er, see why - they blend in; their colouration is a perfect match for the branches.  This fellow was so confident that I couldn't see him that he never moved the whole time I was fumbling about trying to take his portrait.

Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
F Number	5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/40
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	1600
Advanced Scene Mode	Off
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Sparrow in the mulberry bush

This mulberry is well on its way to becoming a tree! It's funny; a very old maple tree was growing here and its branches were coming down on the overhead electric wires so the power company cut it down. Almost immediately, this mulberry began to grow, sprouting out of a small space between the old stump and the sidewalk.

Although young, this tree serves to shelter small birds like this sparrow. When I took this photo there were about a dozen of them flitting in and out, between the mulberry and the hedge a few feet away. How they maneuver in between those branches is a mystery to me and I've watched them doing it for years!

Starling and sparrow

We put out some bread for the birds, and it wasn't long before they began to arrive. The larger bird is a starling. They're quite common here, roost in trees in flocks of hundreds at a time, and make quite a distinctive chatter.

The smaller bird is a sparrow. He moved just as I took the photo. Older digital camera has a long delay between press and capture. Sparrows are so ubiquitous that I almost never think to take their photo. They're here year round and take advantage of just about any food they can find. If you put out a slice of bread, a sparrow will be along within the hour to eat it.

Yes, the snow is really almost to the top of the 4 foot picket fence, but that's where I shovel it when I'm clearing the sidewalk.

Sparrows in the rain

Sparrows are always flitting in and out of the bush behind the fence. I got lucky to get a quick snap of these sitting on the fence itself.

Sparrow on roof

I was playing with my little one and he decided to take the video camera outside to video some ants. Well, why not? Electrons are cheap!

In the course of setting the camera up for him I saw some sparrows flitting between the garage roof and the ground, where they were taking a sand bath. It turns out the video camera can take still photos too, and this is the best of the lot.

We see many of these little guys, along with robins, starlings and pigeons. Nearby, in the cemetery, are herons and red-tailed hawks.