The commotion out on the patio caught my attention this morning as a concerned parent scrub jay squawked loudly and flitted nervously in the branches of the xylosma. There, perched on one of the shrub’s thin branchlets was a baby scrub jay, possibly out on its first foray from the nest. A hummingbird was aggressively asserting its disapproval of this new bird in the area, hovering inches away from the young bird. But, although I had already affixed the 300mm and 1.4X teleconverter to the D5 in anticipation of getting some hummingbird shots, this scenario eluded me. I did get a couple of shots of the baby jay on the branch through the open patio door. Then I watched as this little bird crash landed onto the fountain and stared at the bubble with fascination. But, when I stepped out onto the patio in the hopes of photographing its first bath, it launched itself awkwardly into the azalea behind the fountain and disappeared from sight.
Glad to see you back in your own backyard after your exciting travels! This is a sweet capture- beautifully composed and expertly focused (of course). I know you are loving that D5!
Sweet!