I do quite a bit of wildlife photography so I spend a lot of time looking at a variety of birds through the viewfinder of my cameras. My concentration is on all the technical aspects of photography: focus, exposure, composition, etc. It doesn’t matter if the bird is a cardinal, a sparrow or a finch.
But when I get a Tufted Titmouse in the viewfinder I tend to laugh. The large, round eyes, small bill and brushy crest give the bird a permanent “surprised” expression on its face.
Maybe it’s just me.
Titmice are common in forests here in Central Ohio and are frequent visitors to feeders in the area during winter months. The birds always select the largest seed they can find, carry it to a nearby perch and hit it with their bill until the seed cracks open. Titmice also hoard food during the fall and winter months. They’ll take seeds from a feeder, open them, then store the food in cracks and crevices in nearby trees so they can be retrieved later.
During the summer, a titmouse will eat primarily insects.
Titmice are hyperactive birds. They seldom perch in one spot for more than a few seconds as they bounce from spot to spot in search of food. That’s why I get most of my titmice photos during late fall and winter, when the birds hang around feeders in local parks. I watch nearby branches, where birds wait for a spot to open at the feeder, and grab shots then.
When I see a titmouse during the fall or winter I know to expect to find chickadees and nuthatches nearby. The birds flock together during the winter months. And I’ve captured a number of winter photos of nuthatches and chickadees around the feeder where I find titmice.
Credits:
All photos and text ©- Pat D. Hemlepp. All rights reserved.