I setup a new bird feeding area in the front yard and it took some time for the birds to get used to it being there. But once they found it, they had a feast. One of the visitors was this very nice Black-capped Chickadee. Chickadees hide seeds and other food items to eat later. Each item is placed in a different spot and they can remember thousands of hiding places. I certainly do not have that talent…

Chickadee calls are complex and language-like. They communicate information on identity, recognition of other flocks and predator alarms. The more “dee” notes in a “chickadee-dee-dee” call, the higher the threat level. Most birds that associate with chickadee flocks respond to chickadee alarm calls, even when their own species doesn’t have a similar alarm call. All I ever hear is the chirping but I guess there is a lot more going on than I’m aware of.

Black-Capped Chickadee

This image was taken with my Canon EOS 5DS using my Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 Lens with a 1.4x extender which brought the focus length to 560 mm (400mm x 1.4). The camera was set on Aperture priority mode with the aperture set at f/8, shutter speed at 1/640th of a second and the ISO set at 200. This is a single image processed in Lightroom.

This image is best when viewed large. Click on the image to enlarge it. Also, you can access the portfolio for this bird by clicking here. Please use the section below to post your comments, questions or suggestions.

© 2015 T. Kahler Photography

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