Steve Cole  

Peanut Hustler by Steve Cole

November 2025 - Peanut Hustler

About the Image(s)

The weatherman stated we might get a bit of snow this weekend which made me think about my daily Blue Jay visitors. Shortly after the crack of dawn I get at least 10 Jays daily during the winter to grab the peanuts I put out. Hence the squirrels have to do without but on occasion a Nut Hatch or Red Belly Woodpecker will sneak in for a couple despite the objections of the Blue Jays. It is a joy to watch the “hustler” nature of the Blue Jays among themselves to snatch up the nuts. Fujifilm XT2, 100-400 at 400mm (600 full frame), f5.6, ISO 500, 1/500. Processed in Lightroom using the basic sliders.

3 comments posted

Jerry Biddlecom   Jerry Biddlecom
Nice profile shot, and the peanut in the bird's mouth gives it a story to tell. Nice and sharp and the far background is nicely blurred. I would say, however, that the very bright background does compete visually with the subject, which of course is the Blue Jay. Maybe experiment a little by selecting out the bird and brighten it up a bit (for more detail) and darken the back.   Posted: 11/14/2025 15:12:01
Adrian Binney   Adrian Binney
Gosh Steve, you are so lucky to be able to enjoy such lovely birds at home! Envious!
Lovely winter image. A cheerful one. Your jay is sharp and very clear with defused snow in the background.
  Posted: 11/18/2025 16:45:29
Cindy Marple   Cindy Marple
This is so pretty, such a classic winter scene. I like the bright snowy background, and the 2 vertical stems to anchor the image. I also like that the twig the jay is perched on is still snow-covered, they haven't knocked it all off yet! Good pose of the jay and beautiful color.
Selecting the bird and brightening it up a little bit does help, it works a little better against the snowy scene.
A Christmas card shot for sure!   Posted: 11/21/2025 21:50:15

 

Please log in to post a comment