Birds of Woodstock: An Introduction

Having lived in the lovely area of Woodstock, NY  for the past six years, I decided it was time to make some effective use of my newly purchased camera. Since birdwatching had always been an interest of mine,  I decided to not only view birds through the use of binoculars, but to photograph them as well. For starters, I put a couple of birdfeeders in front of my house, and spent a few hundred dollars on a camera. A Fuji Finepix S5200 replaced my equally inexpensive Sony, which slipped through my hands one day, fell to the ground, and broke. Since I had little technical background in photography, the prospect of capturing birds, of any size, on my modestly priced Fuji, posed a real challenge for me. In time, through much trial and error, I finally got a handle on it and, with a somewhat steadier hand, managed to take some reasonably good photos.



 Bald Eagle (Ashokan Reservoir)


Ashokan Reservoir
Rapture!


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Some of the birds, early on, photographed on my property


Blue Jay


Cardinal


Carolina Wren


Chickadee


Flicker (backyard woods)


Goldfinches


Hairy Woodpecker (m)


Mourning Dove


Pileated Woodpecker

(Note: every spring,  eats the grubs from this same tree stump on my front lawn)



Pine Siskin (uncommon)

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                                  Obviously, the greater challenge that awaits me is to get exposd to a variety of environments that provide opportunities for taking photos in the air and on the water; hawks and herons serving as examples. Tiny birds like warblers offer yet another challenge. Nonetheless, with my trusty camera in hand, here goes...

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My objectives are:
   
- To share my collection of bird photos with other bloggers
- To identify the most accessable birding locales in the  area
- To stimulate an interest in bird photography


Bob Filmore, Woodstock, NY 























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