Shy ones

Friend Patty is a friend to animals of all kinds, which means that she indulges them with all manner of feeders. As we left her house after yesterday's game of Scrabble, these seed bags were covered with little guys. By the time I had my camera in shooting position, there were none. But I waited them out. Slowly, they began to return -- the goodies were irresistible. By my first shot, there were three of the little fellows -- all watching me quite careully.

Soon another joined -- and one, satisfied that the giant wasn't about to attack, began to eat.

Most of the birds were ready for food by the time another pair arrived.

A total of seven birds had returned to the feeding bags when I decided to call it quits. I suppose that if I really want to take pictures of birds, I will have to get into the feeder business. Which sort of defeats the purpose of my long zoom lens, which was to enable my camera to see into the trees and underbrush where birds hang out. It doesn't -- the dang camera carefully focuses on the branches and twigs in front of any birds I espy. Besides, I already have one demanding pet to take care of. And, no, I'm not going to burden myself carrying all that glass of a a DSLR.

Linkage: Sometimes you really have to admire grumpy folk with a fine sense of irony. Boonie, for instance, who essays an essay on forest fires as a way to fight an economic depression. One of my recent posts about trees at the ridgeline got a mention in the most recent Festival of the Trees over at Arboreality (I love that name!); the theme for this blog carnival is secrets in and of the forest. And, on the subject of festivals, I came across a URL for the Prescott Film Festival (which is a effort that I don't quite understand. Besides, I always thought that a proper Prescott Film Festival would consist of a week-long celebration of yesterday's westerns.)