Birds in Nature - images of wild birds by Richard Ditch

Subject:American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
Place: Freehold, NJ, USA
Date: August 1992
Equipment: Nikon 8008, Nikkor EDIF 400/5.6 & TC14 converter (= 560/8), tripod
Film: Kodachrome 200
Exposure: Aperture priority matrix meter
Scan: Minolta Dimage, 75% of frame

Commentary: A very common bird in our old NJ backyard, I never appreciated this bird as much as I should. Here in AZ, they are very hard to find and I've only seen 3 or 4 in eight years. I wish I had taken more advantage of the opportunities to photograph this species when I had the chance.

There are many faults in this image, but it is the best I have. Taken from our dining room window as the bird visited my wife's garden. I like the soft colors, and I'm glad I was still using K200 then - it keeps the bright colors looking natural even if it is a bit grainy.