Colorful Birds in the Backyard

Over the past few weeks, I have been delighted by the colorful birds visiting my backyard. After writing about an Indigo Bunting that stopped by my feeders, I became inspired to spend more time outside and try to capture these beautiful visitors with my camera.

Although I have a bird blind available, I have discovered that simply sitting quietly behind bushes or flowers works surprisingly well. After a while, the birds become comfortable with my presence, allowing me to spend peaceful afternoons photographing the vibrant colors appearing right outside my home.

Painted Buntings Bring Bright Colors to the Backyard

Painted Buntings are among my favorite backyard visitors. These stunning birds arrive in my Central Florida yard around October and often remain until April.

This year, I noticed more male Painted Buntings spending the winter here. As spring migration begins, the number of colorful males decreases while more “greenies”—young birds and females—start appearing.

These birds have been unusually tolerant of my photography attempts. I noticed they often landed on a nearby branch before moving over to the feeder, so I placed a natural-looking perch close to the feeder in a spot where the backyard scenery would create a nicer background.

It did not take long before the birds began using my carefully placed branch. Of course, they were not always willing to cooperate. Sometimes they preferred landing on feeder poles or sprinkler heads instead!

American Goldfinches Change Into Their Breeding Colors

The bright yellow American Goldfinches that visit my yard are another favorite sight.

During much of the winter, these birds have a much duller appearance. However, by March and April, they begin molting into their brilliant yellow breeding plumage.

Compared with the Painted Buntings, the Goldfinches seemed much more cautious around their backyard photographer. They apparently preferred that I simply provide food and leave them alone!

The sound of my camera shutter often startled them, especially the brightly colored males, causing them to quickly fly away. Still, I managed to capture a few beautiful photographs.

Recently, many of my Goldfinch visitors have started leaving. During winter, I had to refill my niger seed feeders about once a week, but now the seed level only drops slightly each day. It is always a little sad when these seasonal friends move on.

An Indigo Bunting Makes a Special Visit

My Indigo Bunting stayed in the yard for several days, giving me a wonderful opportunity to photograph him away from the feeder.

He was going through a molt at the time, so his appearance was a mix of old brown feathers and fresh bright blue plumage. Like many birds during molting season, he looked a little messy and uneven while changing into his new feathers.

He spent time resting among my salvia plants, which provided a beautiful natural setting for photographs.

The Challenge of Photographing Wild Songbirds

The image of the Indigo Bunting also shows how difficult it can be to photograph songbirds in a natural-looking environment.

Small birds love staying among bushes, branches, and leaves where they feel protected. In this case, the bunting was feeding on seeds from my salvia plants, and I was lucky to get my camera focused on him through all the vegetation between us.

Capturing a clear photograph of a tiny moving bird surrounded by plants requires patience, timing, and a little bit of luck.

The Backyard Bullies Arrive

Of course, the smaller birds were not always able to enjoy the feeders peacefully. The “piggies”—Red-Winged Blackbirds and Boat-Tailed Grackles—often arrived and disrupted the gathering.

I jokingly call them my “bully birds” because they push their way into the feeder cages and scare away the smaller species. However, they are beautiful birds in their own way.

The brilliant red shoulder patches of the Red-Winged Blackbirds during this season are especially striking and add another splash of color to the backyard.

Waiting for the Birds to Return

I hope my colorful visitors stay around a little longer before continuing their seasonal journeys.

It is hard not to wonder how long it will be until October arrives and these wonderful birds begin returning for another winter.

Watching their yearly patterns reminds me how special it is to share a backyard with migrating wildlife.

A Photographer Hiding in the Backyard

One afternoon, while I was quietly waiting outside, my husband came into the backyard and accidentally scared away all the birds.

After that, he learned that sending me an email or text message was a much better way to get my attention.

The following afternoon, I received a message that said: “Dear strange person living in the backyard…”

Naturally, I had to ask him to come outside and take a photo of the “strange person” hiding among the plants.

The laptop beside me was an essential part of the setup—it provided entertainment while I patiently waited for the birds to return and pose for the camera.