Is shooting at the feeder cheating?

Lesser GoldfinchLesser Goldfinch – 2011

I have a feeder that I keep stocked with an assortment of seeds. It draws an assortment of birds, some that I don’t usually see in my typical bird photography adventures.

If I shoot birds around the feeder, am I cheating? It is a valid question, because I try to capture birds in a reasonably natural setting, so having a plastic bin full of seeds defeats that.

But feeders attract birds and that is what I am trying to shoot.

And if I don’t get out on a birding trip? Well, it is time to confess, the Band-tailed Pigeon, was a feeder shot. While they are around, they don’t usually come in close enough to get a shot like that.

So what about this week’s “Bird of the Week” entry:
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk – 2011

While it was a couple hundred feet from the feeder, was it drawn to the area by the abundance of birds at the feeder? They are common in the area, so probably not, but…

Anyway, I will try to limit my feeder shots and in the future tell you when a shot was taken near the feeder.

Bird of the Week

Forster's TernForster’s Tern, 2011

As difficult as last weeks selection was, this one was easy. I went out to Moss Landing with hope of shooting some terns. Both Caspian and Forster’s Terns are in the area and I saw a number of Caspians in the distance when I was there last week.

My hopes of getting a closer shot were dashed by construction which closed most of Moss Landing State Beach. So I had to shoot across the harbor to the jetty were the terns were hanging out. Fortunately, there were some Forster’s Terns in the air and I got a few shots.

With the State Beach closed, I crossed the highway and checked out the Moss Landing Wildlife Area. The Wildlife area sits behind a boat repair shop. It is the sort of unpretentious setting that appeals to me. There is a viewing platform a little over 0.2 miles from the parking lot. Once there I spotted a Least Sandpiper, some Caspian Terns fishing out on the Slough and a large collection of young Brown Pelicans about a quarter of a mile away.

On my way back one of them flew by allowing me to shoot this weeks Bird of the Week:

Young Brown PelicanYoung Brown Pelican, Moss Landing Wildlife Area – 2011