Snow Junco...

Williamwisephoto Nature Notes is a wildlife, landscape, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?" Job 12:7-9

Dark-eyed Junco songbird, Junco hyemalis, is a small American Sparrow known as the snow bird. Photographed in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia in Winter, January 2014.

11:30 AM, Athens, Georgia - The cold has again returned, this time giving us a thin blanket of snow and my kids a few days off from school. Awakening in the morning, I filled all the bird feeders knowing the birds would appreciate an easy meal on such a cold day when all the grass was covered. Toward lunchtime I bundled up and sat near the feeders waiting for a good snow-shot of the Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) and a few others.

​The Dark-eyed Juncos are often referred to as "Snow Birds." Perhaps it is because they often arrive later in the winter than the other migrants. But others have said it is because their plumage resembles a winter landscape: white snow on the ground and grey skies above. Whatever the reason, they showed up in my yard with the coming of the first snows!

Hermit Thrush bird on snow covered ground in winter; Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. Backyard birding.

Backyard birding Dark Eyed Junco in snow

When I review some of my first shots on my camera’s LCD, I quickly realize that snow doesn’t come often enough to the southeast, for I had forgotten to make my adjustments. All that white on the ground tricks your camera’s metering in to darkening everything to an ugly grey. I forgot to give my exposure a little boost. You can keep your snow scenes white by adding one-third or two-thirds exposure compensation.

The other area that snow fools your camera is with white balance. Although it sometimes works to keep that “cold” feeling in the photos, the camera’s auto-white balance can sometimes make the photo too blue. You can try shooting in the “flash” white balance setting, or shoot in RAW to adjust later.
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Of course, shooting in RAW is probably the best option as you can adjust the exposure, white balance and many other aspects of a shot later. Besides, there is snow on the ground and “baby its cold outside”. So you have plenty of time to stay inside with Photoshop and make all those edits!

Hermit Thrush bird on snow covered suet feeder; Clarke County, Georgia. Black oil sunflower seed and suet bird feeder. Backyard birding.

Pine Warbler songbird perched on suet and black oil sunflower seed bird feeder in Winter. Backyard birding in Athens, Clarke County, Georgia. The pine warbler, Setophaga pinus, is a small songbird in eastern North America.