Author Archives: Jerry Smith

Backyards & Birds

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Backyards can be great places to enjoy some bird photography and the necessary things aren’t all that difficult to arrange.

Oriole
Oriole

I recently moved and thought why not create a simple place for some close-to-home photography. Here’s my game plan to make it happen.

I put up a bird feeder. The options here are numerous. My choice was a pole with 4 arms. This way I can put different attractants on each arm. My choices consisted of a black-sunflower feeder, a “bug-cake,” a suet block, and an Oriole feeder. And, remember one the things attracted will be squirrels so you’ll need to have some shields in place to keep them at bay. I added a birdbath and now the bird cafe is complete!

Birds often like to land on a nearby limb to survey the scene before they come to the feeders. To meet this need I used a small broken limb from a nearby tree. I attached this to an old lightstand I had on hand. You may have a nearby tree or bush which will do the same thing.

Now it’s get the camera ready and use anything convenient for some “cover” to break up your presence. I used a covered patio with some furniture on it so I can sit among the things and not be so obvious.

The goal here, besides pictures, is to optimize the two keys to bird photography, i.e., you never have too much glass and you’re never too close. I’d add that to enjoy bird photography you have to be part of the silence. Hopefully you can use your longest telephoto lens and begin to capture some bird pictures. It’s a great way to enjoy some close-to-home photography!

I’ll include some links for some items which might assist your own ideas of how to construct your backyard bird set up. Enjoy!

Sky Cafe A La Carte

Duncraft Weather Log Haven

Heavy Duty 80″ 4 Arm Bird Feeder Pole Set w/ Twist in Ground Socket

Audubon Torpedo Steel Squirrel Baffle Model NATORPEDO

BIRDS CHOICE Recycled Orange Plastic Bird Feeder

Hidden

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Yellow-Headed BlackbirdSometimes some of the best things are not the most obvious. A case in point is this Yellow-Headed Blackbird I encountered recently. He reminded me that not all the things you look for are right out in the open. Sometimes, maybe oftentimes, they seem “hidden.

Whether it’s photography or life, it pays to be sensitive to, alert to, open to those opportunities which come our way. One for me was this Blackbird. He was far from obvious in the sea of grass and if I’d been moving too fast he’d have been missed for certain!

It likely sounds like some cliché but the pace of life presses most of us to the point that we can seriously miss some of our best opportunities. Maybe it’s time to slow down and look a little closer, listen a little better, linger a little longer. Your husband or wife, parents or children, friends or neighbors will be richer and far less hidden to you!

D.L. Moody told a little illustration of such opportunity this way —
“A sculptor once showed a visitor his studio. It was full of statues of gods. One was very curious. The face was concealed by being covered with hair, and there were wings on each foot. ‘What is his name?’ said the visitor. ‘Opportunity,’ was the reply. ‘Why is his face hidden?’ ‘Because men seldom know him when he comes to them.’ ‘Why has he wings on his feet?’ ‘Because he is soon gone, and once gone can never be overtaken.’ It becomes us, then, to make the most of the opportunities God has given us.”

[D. L. Moody, Moody’s Stories: Being a Second Volume of Anecdotes, Incidents and Illustrations (New York; Chicago; Toronto; London; Edinburg: Fleming H. Revell, 1899), 79–80.]

This Yellow-Headed Blackbird reminded me afresh of the uniqueness of the people around me, people our Lord has brought into our paths, people often “hidden” unless we slow down, see their uniqueness, and thank the Lord for opening our eyes to what we might have thought was hidden!

The psalmist sees these hidden people this way in Psalm 139.11-18 —
If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

Let me close by reminding all of us that our lives are not “hidden” from our Lord! He has more for us than we’ve ever imagined. If you’re not aware of this and would like to begin a new way of living, literally a new life, start by placing your faith in this great God who loves you. Scripture says, John 3.16,
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

And, for all of us, remember, sometimes some of the best things are not the most obvious. It might be that gracious gift of new life through faith in Jesus you’ve been driving past, and, it might be that person next to you about whom the Lord is opening your eyes to see like never before.

Dawn

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“Dawn” is a daily event for most of us. Every day typically begins as things begin to become visible and that day’s new things begin to unfold.

One of those “dawn” moments is upon me of late. Being in the midst of a move of household from one state to another, from doing one thing (for many years) and transitioning to another, well, it’s challenging.

One of those things which often occurs with “dawn” is you get some perspective, i.e., you begin to be able to see. One of those dangers of doing the same thing many years is you can seem to miss the “dawn” and that look ahead. Moving makes it hit you in the face, and that’s not all bad!

Ahead seems to be a season of some new things, new opportunities, and new friendships, just to mention some. There even seems to be some new things with the photography which I so enjoy.

But, if you’ve lived a few years, you know that things often turn out differently than what “seems to be” before you. That’s not pessimism, just realism.

In the coming weeks and months, Lord willing, there will be some new images surfacing of new places and new things. It’s pretty exciting. Yet, there’s the “but what if” that slips into my thoughts.

Let me tell you what’s anchoring this “dawn” and will anchor every “dawn” ahead. It’s not a floating vision but a steadfast faith in a steadfast God whose amazing grace is certain to all whose faith rests in his Son, our Savior, Jesus. (Check John 3.16 for this anchor!)

I ran across some Scripture while teaching a series in the Psalms. Check out Psalm 57.7-11.

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! 8 Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. 10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens And Your truth to the clouds. 11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth.

What a great reminder and anchor as that new day dawns! “Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens And Your truth to the clouds.”

Here’s a perspective for every season.

An English songwriter and poet, Frances Havergal, most famous for her hymn, “Take My Life and Let it Be,” was 36 when she put down her thoughts about the dawn of a New Year, thoughts that are good every day of any year! Interestingly, her life on this earth ended 7 years later at the age of 43. Here’s her perspective of the “dawn”:

Another Year Is Dawning

Another year is dawning,
Dear Master, let it be,
In working, or in waiting,
Another year with Thee.

Another year of mercies,
Of faithfulness and grace;
Another year of gladness
In the shining of Thy face.

Another year of progress,
Another year of praise,
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days.

Another year of service,
Of witness of Thy love,
Another year of training
For holier work above.

Another year is dawning,
Dear Master, let it be
On earth, or else in heaven
Another year for Thee.