Hummer in the sun

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 30, 2017

Pentax K-5
Pentax 55-300 at 200mm
1/1600 f8
ISO 1600

After three days of trying to get a hummingbird portrait in rainy and cloudy conditions, I just happened to be by the camera when the sun emerged briefly.

Jay in a huff

BLUE JAY, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 27, 2017

Both photos:
Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 with Pentax HD 1.4x converter (420mm)
1/200 sec. (above) and 1/250 sec. (below) f8
ISO 400

These two pictures of the same jay were taken seconds apart.

Today's grosbeak

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 27, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 plus Pentax HD 1.4x converter
1/125 sec f9
ISO 400

Each day I try to take a better picture of the male grosbeaks that brighten up our feeders, and this is the latest effort. Ideally neither the feeder nor the fence in the background would be visible, but I'll take what I can get.

Male of the species

MALE GOLDFINCH, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 20, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 with Pentax HD 1.4x extender (420mm)
1/320 sec. f8
ISO 200

Our back yard feeders are assaulted by dozens of goldfinches of both sexes all the time, cheering up the recent gray, rainy and drab days a great deal.

Downy woodpecker

DOWNY WOODPECKER, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 21, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 with Pentax HD 1.4x converter (420mm)
1/200 sec. f6.3
ISO 1600

Not the best angle (from an open kitchen window) but at least it's a reasonable rendition of the female downy woodpecker that haunts our neck of the woods. We haven't seen the male yet.

Female goldfinch

FEMALE GOLDFINCH, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 13, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 plus Pentax HD 1.4x converter (420mm)
1/320 sec/ f8
ISO 400

Compared to the male of its species, the female goldfinch's coloring is dull and drab. Some individuals, however, are brighter than others, and this is one.

Purple Finch

PURPLE FINCH, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 13, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 with Pentax HD 1.4x converter (420mm)
1/500 sec. f8
ISO 400

In summers past we would see only one or two purple finches on our feeders, but this year at least half a dozen have taken up station in the woods nearby. They stand out among the hordes of goldfinches and pine siskins that jostle for birdseed.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 13, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 plus Pentax HD 1.4x converter (420mm)
1/320 sec. f8
ISO 400

Every year a few examples of this spectacularly colored species visit our feeders in the back yard of our cabin on Lake Superior, and the first one arrived May 15.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 13, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 with Pentax HD 1.4x converter (420mm)
1/800 sec. f8
ISO 400

Why they call it "red-bellied" I have no idea. This gorgeous male of the species—the first one we've ever seen here—lives in the woods close to our cabin on the shore of Lake Superior and pays frequent visits to our feeders.

Pine Siskin

PINE SISKIN, GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 12, 2017

Pentax K-3
Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 plus Pentax HD 1.4x converter (420mm)
1/160 sec. f8
ISO 200

These peppy little finches are swarming with their close cousins, goldfinches and purple finches, on our backyard feeders. In the past they seemed to be relatively rare but this summer almost outnumber the others.