Morgan Heim
Noppadol Paothong
George McKenzie Jr.Six months ago, when many of us put our lives on hold to isolate at home, enjoying nature in whatever way we could was a comfort and a distraction. Cooped up in my one-room apartment in Brooklyn, I watched for the occasional pigeon on my fire escape and walked down to the water every night to see cormorants fish. This became the highlight of my days. And I wasn’t alone. For our Bird from Home project, ĂŰčÖAPP asked three professional wildlife photographers to document and write about birds in their yards or in their communities during this difficult year. (You can find their galleries in the menu above.) We then invited readers to share their own photos, and submissions came pouring in.
Narrowing down a pool of more than 8,000 photos to just 50 wasn’t an easy task; there were so many beautiful images with so much personality, encompassing an amazing range of species, habitats, and behaviors. We were especially moved and inspired to see people share their passion and appreciation for backyard birds that are so often overlooked. Thank you to everyone who submitted, and we hope you enjoy this selection of some of our favorites. — Lia Bocchiaro, Photo Editor
Behind the Shot: This bird was a new visitor to my yard this year, and unlike my other backyard birds, it was not thrilled about me being in the yard. I brought out my largest zoom lens and hid behind trees and lawn furniture to get a good shot. For many days he flew away at the first sight of me until one day, when he was unaware I was behind a large potted plant. I leaned out to get a better view while he leaned out to see what was behind the potted plant. I pressed my shutter button and held it down (this is what some would call “spray and pray”) and watched as he darted out of the yard. I was thrilled that the very first one I took was in focus and showed him peeking around the tree. Persistence is key when dealing with shy birds! —Rhonda Coe
Behind the Shot: We live on the outskirts of the Desert Wildlife Management Area, and this picture taken in our backyard illustrates why we love it so much. I used a Nikon D850 camera with a 200-500mm f/5.6 lens to capture these two birds in the sagebrush, while maintaining a decent distance so as not to startle the amazing animals that surround us daily. This White-crowned Sparrow was trying to share the spotlight with a California Quail, birds that litter the area where we live and have become our neighbors. In this instance, the quail was calling out, and I readied my camera for what I thought would be a wonderful picture of the quail when the sparrow decided to join. —David J. Hutson
Behind the Shot: Usually Indigo Buntings only pass through our property in spring. This year I began to notice the lingering presence of some in the wild ferns and the abundant milkweed that thrive along our lake. As summer went on, it seemed that every time I went out for a walk (without my camera, of course), one vividly blue male would start singing and land only a few feet in front of me. I finally wised up, grabbed my camera, and set out to find the Indigo Bunting, or better yet, have it find me. Within moments of my walk, it appeared! It was an afternoon that I won’t soon forget. —Amy Kay
Behind the Shot: Truth be told, my backyard is constantly barraged by a flock of Mourning Doves that eat up all the seed in my feeder. Who knew they ate so much?! Mourning Doves are one of my favorite backyard birds to watch— their behavior, their wide eyes, and soft coos are welcome anytime (despite their huge appetites). —Alyssa Bueno
Behind the Shot: Our yard is a through the Portland ĂŰčÖAPP and Columbia Land Trust, which means birds come more for the bugs and water rather than feeders. We had two Wilson’s Warblers regularly visiting the yard this spring. They spent most of the day foraging the native vine maples and flowering currants for bugs while taking the occasional bath. They are some of the more shy yard birds, so I would wait patiently outside with my camera to get a photo. I can’t help but anthropomorphize this image of a Wilson’s Warbler at the birdbath, as it looks like it’s going to cannonball! —Jessica McConahay
Behind the Shot: I challenged myself to stay within a five mile radius of my home to bird this year. Stay-at-home orders due to the pandemic made that a worthy challenge. I spotted this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at a park near my house. The males sport a striking line above the eye, which gives them that angry-but-cute look. Even at the end of April it was quite cold in the early mornings. Regardless, this bird hopped from branch to branch, masterfully catching small insects and fanning his tail as if to say hello. I marveled at his ability to poof up his feathers to conserve heat, while I shivered behind my camera, layered in wool and fleece. —Emily Tornga
Behind the Shot: Every spring, Dark-eyed Juncos raise chicks beneath our overgrown photinia, but it wasn't until this year that I endeavoured to sit out and photograph them. While the juveniles keep to the thick brush, the parents flitted back and forth, collecting food and just as quickly shoveling it into a fledgling's mouth. Intermittently, a junco call audible from hundreds of feet deeper in the forest would send the father into a territorial frenzy, puffing up his feathers and calling his own challenges. —Lisa Sproat
Behind the Shot: When the pandemic hit and my wife and I were in lock down, I began observing and photographing beautiful ducks near our home more closely, and found comfort in seeing them mingling with their social groups, feeding in the surf—their daily routines unchanged. I made these eider photographs while my wife and I were taking our two dogs (on leash) for an after-dinner walk along an area of Rhode Island’s rugged rocky coastline.
It was challenging getting good photographs of the eiders. They could sense me from 50 yards away, and they would immediately begin moving further out in the water. This summer, for some reason, they were much more approachable. This group was between 20-30 yards from me when I took these photographs. Many times, the photograph picks up details I cannot see with my eyes. This sense of discovery when I look at the images after a bird walk makes birding and photographing birds even more exciting and addictive. —Peter Goldberg
Behind the Shot: Marshall Lake in North Park is my first go-to place for shooting herons. I was hoping to capture one hunting its prey, but after two hours of waiting, I couldn't find herons at all. I was about to start back home when I found a Herring Gull standing alone in the water. The pristine waters, striking white color of the bird, and the greener grasslands at the back inspired me to click. And the reflection in the water was spot on. I returned home with satisfaction, thinking "my Sunday is made." —Karthika Gopalakrishnan
Behind the Shot: At the end of my long wooded driveway are two dead trees high above the rest of the forest. These trees are a favorite for local Black and Turkey Vultures. I often walk down the driveway and see them perched there, but on this day, the sky was angry and overcast and the black bird with his feathers fanned out made for a very eerie and creepy feel. I love how you can see the textures of his feathers and how he was looking behind him among all the dead branches. —Jessica Nelson
Behind the Shot: Birds have always been calming to me, but they've become my hope and healing in this challenging year. When I caught a glimpse of this male Scarlet Tanager catching moths near the forest floor, all I could think about was that color. To describe it as red does it a disservice. If you've been lucky enough to see one of these birds, then you know their plumage almost glows. I was absolutely captivated by his shimmering beauty. —Emily Tornga
Behind the Shot: While I was in my wife's garden taking pictures of gardenia flowers, I saw a bird with a wide wingspan fly to a bald cypress tree next to a creek behind our property. I slowly approached the tree to investigate and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a Barred Owl. A few minutes later, another joined it after bathing in the creek below. The first owl started to preen the wet owl. I got very excited, so I started taking multiple pictures of this interaction that I have never witnessed before. I think I got carried away because I ended up with 172 photos of the two owls together. I chose this particular photo to post because of how the sunlight broke through the tree canopy and lit the face of one as the owls were about to touch beaks. —Sebastian Tongson
Behind the Shot: I’m lucky because I live next to a river. Before the pandemic, I appreciated the river for its recreational opportunities, but I had never really seen it as a home for so much wildlife, especially birds. With the gift of more time, I spent many sunrises and sunsets on the river when animals are most active. It was like a whole new world opened up. I bought a longer lens for my camera and often planned to paddle out to the island in the middle of the river to see what I could capture. The island became a sanctuary for me. It had already been a sanctuary for the birds. This particular morning, I looked out of my window at this dream-like scene, sprung out of bed, and raced down to the river still wearing my pajamas. Seconds after I arrived, I spotted this heron coming in for a landing on the sunken tree. I was delighted with this particular shot. It looked as if the bird was floating over the water, conveying the magic of that moment. —Emily Critcher
Behind the Shot: I was looking for herons at sunrise in this marshy area by a ferry terminal, but struck out. Opening my ears was a good move: a loud, buzzy trilling call in the reeds betrayed a boisterous Marsh Wren, dancing through the cattails in a typically energetic display. As he hopped up and down, some loose cattail seed heads clung to his feathers, producing a fluffy new hairpiece that glowed in the golden light. —Lisa Sproat
Behind the Shot: This female robin was busy collecting nesting material while the male robin was on guard high in a tree watching her go back and forth to the nest. She would fly to the same area to collect mud and twigs to bring back, so I could anticipate her return. As she made her way back to the nest, she would often stop to gather lichen to add to the material she already carried in her beak. She always managed to fly it up to the nest and tuck it carefully into the nest. —Margo Swainson
Behind the Shot: Birdwatching became my new hobby after COVID-19 shut down schools and isolated everyone at home. I found the time I spent birdwatching peaceful and satisfying. I noticed the Eastern Phoebe in my yard in May. It was a new visitor, but it got right to work preparing for its young. It was taking a break while nest building. A light rain had begun to fall, but it didn’t seem to mind. —Anna Usry
Behind the Shot: Wild Turkeys may not have the prettiest of faces, but their feathers are quite striking. When the resident turkeys first came to visit, I took photos through the glass patio doors as they were wary of our presence and would run away when they saw us. Now when the turkeys come around, they are very comfortable, perhaps even bold, and often spend many hours in the yard ignoring us completely. —Anne-Marie Wiggins
Behind the Shot: I’m an amateur photographer who has found great solace in feeding and photographing birds during the age of COVID-19. This spring, I had my camera set up semi-permanently in the kitchen so that I could snap photos of birds that came to my feeders. The STAR of these photo-sessions was a young, female woodpecker. She was unique and easily identified because of her brown wing feathers. She stopped by daily for her turn at the suet feeder, but she was also very distracted by her image in the windows. She would come to the sliding doors and peck on the glass and often spent hours pecking at her image in the rear-view mirror of my car. One day, as I was washing dishes, she seemed to be looking in to see what was going on inside. My camera was right there in the kitchen, and that’s how I got this shot! — Gloria Schoenholtz
Behind the Shot: I often take for granted the common birds that frequent my yard. The gentle cooing of Mourning Doves is just a normal background noise. This spring was very different than most. I was so thankful to have my backyard visitors to observe and photograph. Although it was challenging to capture this adorable pair in low light, I snuck as close as I could without disturbing them. It was beautiful to watch them preen each other. I knew that Mourning Doves commonly have strong bonds, but I have never witnessed this much affection between birds before. —Christine Rice
Behind the Shot: Could this Northern Mockingbird look any more uncomfortable? These food-begging babies are House Sparrow fledglings that are now on their own. So, I guess they decided to beg and see if the Northern Mockingbird would feed them. The mockingbird was not swayed: It took that morsel of suet back to its own baby. I used an ĂŰčÖAPP recipe for homemade suet that I found a couple of years ago. The birds absolutely LOVE it! —Deborah Roy
Behind the Shot: Quarantine stay-at home restrictions allowed me to focus more on my backyard birds and notice the differences between birds of the same family. While I was used to seeing Song Sparrows all around my backyard, I was surprised to see this White-throated Sparrow. Its vibrant yellow head immediately caught my attention. After I captured this photo, I began to notice them more often and soon learned to identify their specific call. —Caleb Jones
Behind the Shot: One day my dad decided to throw peanuts to the sparrows on the roof next door, so we could capture them flying in a safe manner. It was fun watching them hover and hop about the roof. They struggled to eat the peanuts. Then one day, out of nowhere, a male Northern Cardinal with his bright red feathers, swooped in and began crunching down the peanuts with ease. We were all pretty excited to see the brightly colored bird so close. He would visit us two to three times a day for several weeks until we took a trip out of state. Sadly, since returning, we haven’t seen him back. —Amelia Grande
Behind the Shot: We were coming to the end of a long morning walk in Humboldt Park in Chicago when we heard a little bit of rustling in the plants near the edge of the pond. We looked through the foliage and were just barely able to see a mother Mallard with a couple ducklings taking a break from the hot summer sun in the shade. The way the tree’s branches came together perfectly framed the mother, but if you look carefully you can still see the fluff of one of the ducklings in the reeds to the left. —Christopher Erdos
Behind the Shot: Every spring, Cedar Waxwings migrate through on their way north. I am ready when they arrive. We have several winterberries planted near a birdbath. When I spotted them one morning, I immediately set up in a chair blind. I usually photograph from a “hide,” which is either a blind or my truck. The birds behave much more naturally that way. You have to be ready when they arrive, as a flock can strip a plant quickly. We use native plants that benefit wildlife. Something has berries every month. —David D. Sloas
Behind the Shot: Back in June, as a thunderstorm rolled in, two gulls landed on the roof of a nearby building. They did not seem interested in the peanuts we threw out for the cardinal, and one of the gulls ungracefully flew from one side of the rooftop to the next. As it took off, I tracked him with my camera taking several frames as he clumsily flew about. Soon after, the winds and rain picked up and both gulls took off. —Amelia Grande
Behind the Shot: I jumped out of bed faster than ever when my partner told me there were Evening Grosbeaks at our backyard feeder. The morning light was still low and the sky was overcast, so getting a nice, crisp picture was very challenging. Because these birds are heavier than most that usually visit our yard, they were swinging the feeder quite a lot when landing, making for some blurry shots. Eventually, I managed to get this picture (despite not having a tripod) by resting my camera onto my window sill, with my 150-600 mm lens sticking out. It remains one of my favorite mornings of this crazy year. —Simona Picardi
Behind the Shot: A juvenile Anna’s Hummingbird rears back its head, mouth spread wide as the mother delivers the fruits of her tireless efforts of zipping from flower to flower. The repetitive high-pitched cries of the hungry chick alerted me to its presence tucked just behind a cluster of leaves on the outer branch of a katsura tree. I perched in the cover of some nearby foliage and began to observe this fluffy little hummingbird. The cries began to intensify and the young bird hopped from the dense leaves onto an exposed branch. A few seconds later, the adult female hummingbird perched beside the chick and began to feed it. It was an incredible experience to be able to witness such an intimate and pure moment so up close and personal through the telephoto lens. —Steven Ditzler
Behind the Shot: Welcome to the world! I was so surprised to see this baby American Robin perched on a bench in my backyard. For weeks we had been watching the parents tend to their nest in an evergreen right outside our living room window in the front yard. In a strange way, the pandemic helped us to appreciate what was in our own backyards. —Kelly White
Behind the Shot: I visited the park early in the morning in hope to photograph something interesting. It was on a weekend, in a quiet place. No one was around. There was a bridge through the pond. Suddenly a Green Heron landed on it. He was hanging around for some time, walking on the bridge and handrail. It really looked like he felt lonely and wanted company to "talk" and so I took a few pictures of him. —Alexander Rayev
Behind the Shot: We had a late spring—the weather stayed cool, and I hadn’t seen many birds in the bird bath. The House Finches were the first to “dive in.” I love watching them ruffle their feathers and submerge themselves. In this image, it looks like Mr. Finch got some water in his ears. Mrs. Finch is looking at him like he is ridiculous! —Sherry Rosen
Behind the Shot: The crows are hesitant to come into the yard while I am on the deck, but will perch on the fence observing the goings on if peanuts are present. I have been coaxing them into the yard by tossing peanuts closer to the fence, and occasionally one will decide the treat is worth the risk. Crows are very observant, reacting quickly to sound and movement. This crow was about to brave the yard for a peanut when a jet flew overhead, causing him to turn his attention skyward and assess the threat. The crow actively tracked the movement of the jet for nearly a minute before turning his attention back to the peanut. —Zora Dermer