First photos with my new Lumix

After the past two days of beautiful weather while I was at work all day, the nice weather continued today, Saturday, for me to take my new Lumix camera out for its first photos.

An American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) had been reported from the breakwater at the edge of the Point Mouillee headquarters parking lot. It was still there today preening and walking along the breakwater and around the spruce trees. Not typically an over-wintering bird in Michigan, this pipit has found itself a nice spot during our mild winter.

Other photos of both near and far birds are below. Click on any image to enlarge.

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

After note: my good friend, Don Chalfant, sent me an email to suggest that the above bird may, in fact, be a Greater Scaup (Aythya marila). Don's a vastly more experienced and better birder than I am and he's probably right. But after checking all of my field guides, I'm not sure.

Hen and drake Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser)

All images have been cropped. The Northern Harrier and the Common Mergansers were, obviously, quite distant birds. I am pleased with all of these photos. Where I had multiple images of the same bird, I had trouble selecting which I wanted to include here.

The blue sky weather did not reliably continue on Sunday for my walk around Belle Isle. I didn't see many birds but I did manage a couple of photos.

Tufted Titmouse (Bacolophus bicolar) with a berry under gray skies.

Here's the same photo brightened up and cropped differently by my friend, Cliff, using Photoshop.

American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) soaking up some sun.