120 Bird Species

So far in 2025, I have photographed 120 bird species. The vast majority of my species come from my trip to New Mexico where I photographed 94. In Massachusetts, I have only photographed 42 species, largely because I have not been able to get out much. Immediately upon returning from my New Mexico trip, I came down with Covid which limited my outings. This past Sunday was the first time I was able to spend most of a day photographing here in Massachusetts since January 1. Above is a Barred Owl I found on Plum Island, and is my favorite photo from Sunday.

While I was able to photograph nine new species for the year on Sunday, I really struggled to take photographs that I thought were good. Many of the birds I saw were distant waterfowl in the ocean like this Harlequin Duck. While this shot clearly documents that I saw the species, it is not a particularly good photograph. Often, the locations that are best for seeing a variety of birds are not the best for taking compelling photos. Looking somewhat downwards at a harbor full of waterfowl is such an example.

This American Tree Sparrow is my second favorite photo from Sunday. I view it as a very solid but not a great photo. Using my 1 to 5 star rating system, this is a 3 but almost a 4. I gave the Barred Owl 4 stars while the Harlequin Duck got 2. What I like about this photo is that the bird is sharp, the eye engagement is very good, and the palate of colors of the background matches quite nicely with the colors of the sparrow. I wish the surroundings were just a bit more interesting. Perhaps some additional orange in the branches might have given the background more character resulting in 4 stars. Of course, all of this is highly subjective, and a month from now, I might have a different perspective.

I photographed this White-crowned Sparrow while I was in New Mexico. I think it is an interesting comparison with the American Tree Sparrow above. I have rated this photo 4 stars but close to a 5. I see subtle differences between these two images. Technically, the White-crowned Sparrow is ultra sharp with significantly more detail than the Tree Sparrow. Similar to the Tree Sparrow, the eye engagement is good and the color palate of the bird matches the background nicely. However, I find the background more compelling in this photo. The sparrow is nestled in the middle of the bush as they often are, but there is a gap that frames the head well. One’s eye is often drawn to the brightest part of a photo, but in this case the diffuse brightness of the out of focus small branches essentially create an inverse vignette bringing the focus to the sparrow’s head. I also like the clarity of the two larger branches that frame the sparrow on the right and on the left. Overall, this photo just draws me into it more than the previous photo.

This Gambrel’s Quail, also taken in New Mexico, is another example of a photo I have rated as 4 stars. The topknot or plume of the quail is one of its striking characteristics. This portrait photo draws my attention immediately to it and the quail’s fire orange cap.

This is just a short post since I have not posted in a while. Unfortunately, after testing negative for covid by the middle of last week, on Monday I developed a Paxlovid rebound case and am sick again. My energy level is low, and I need lots of sleep, so I am headed off to bed.