Photo Sharing Storytelling — 06 Dec 2022

Jen's Top 22 Birds of 2022

By Looking Glass

Hello friends - Jen from Looking Glass here. I am very excited to share my latest obsession with you: Photographing birds. I made the below compilation this week, and believe me - it was VERY hard to limit it to just 22 from the year 2022. It's a collection that I feel lucky to have made, with many of them coming from incredible travels to areas including Uganda, Bolivia, and California locations. On the note of travel, Nikon Ambassador Kristi Odom and I are teaching a Bird Photography Workshop in Ecuador (March 2023). We only have two spots left! So grab your spot today if you're interested in joining us on this Epic Photo Escape. For all the details, click here.

Truth be told, I have loved taking pictures of birds for the last few years. It truly became an obsession when I acquired new gear that is better suited for the task (or perhaps I should call it a labor of love; photographing birds can be an exercise in patience). Anyway, the right gear changed everything. I suddenly had the ability to get the shots I hoped to achieve almost EVERY single time an avian subject caught my eye. These moments often happen very fast. If you're curious, I have listed the gear I have been using (cameras, lenses, accessories) at the end of this post.

One unforeseen challenge - and this is a good problem to have - is how can I possibly narrow down so many images I love to just 22? While I managed to do this for this post, I unofficially have over 150 that I'm "filing" as favorites. LOL. If you'd like to see the Top 100, check out the big bird gallery on my website :)

Two items of note before the pictures:

I love photographing hummingbirds, but I have a really tough time identifying them, hence "probably" as part of the ID. (feel free to offer an assist if you are an avid birder with certainty about an ID I may have missed)
If you're curious about the gear I used we included a handy list at the end! Obviously it's all stuff that I can highly recommend, since it's exactly what I used to get these pictures that make me so happy.

I hope you enjoy these birds, as seen through my lens.

Oak Titmouse. (Novato, California - 2022)

Crowned Hornbill. (Uganda - October 2022)

California Quail. (Point Reyes National Seashore, California - April 2022)

Weaver Birds. (Uganda - October 2022)

California Scrub Jay. (Novato, California - 2022)

Mallard Duck. (Monte Rio, California - September 2022)

Osprey. (Half Moon Bay, California - November 2022)

Black-and-White-Casqued Hornbill. (Uganda - October 2022)

California Scrub Jay. (Novato, California - 2022)

Oak Titmouse. (Novato, California - 2022)

Anna's Hummingbird (probably). (Novato, California - 2022)

American Goldfinch. (Novato, California - 2022)

Anna's Hummingbird (probably). (Novato, California - 2022)

Brewer's Blackbird. (Point Reyes National Seashore, California - April 2022)

Weaver Bird. (Uganda - October 2022)

Western Tanager. (Novato, California - 2022)

Brown Pelican. (Half Moon Bay, California - November 2022)

Orange-Winged Amazon Parrot. (Senda Verde Animal Sanctuary, Bolivia - February 2022)

Wood Duck. (Monte Rio, California - September 2022)

Brown Pelican. (Point Reyes National Seashore, California - November 2022)

Anna's Hummingbird (probably). (Novato, California - 2022)

Grey Crowned Crane. (Uganda - October 2022)

JEN'S GEAR FOR BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY

NIKON

OLYMPUS | OM SYSTEM

ACCESSORIES

Comments

LG

Looking Glass Photo & Camera 03 Jan 2023
Hi, Ted- Thank you so much for your insights! Photographing birds has been such a joy - not just for the art of it, but the learning as well. :-)
T

TJWalkup 26 Dec 2022
These are lovely photos. Beautiful work in your craft.
T

Ted 17 Dec 2022
Wonderful shots! Just a couple of notes: The titmouse we have in Northern California is the oak titmouse. The tufted titmouse is found in the midwest and east. Similarly, the common crackle is generally not found this far west. That shot might be of a cowbird.
EC

Elena Como 14 Dec 2022
Lovely photos! I think your "tufted titmice" are actually oak titmice. :)
B

Beth 11 Dec 2022
Stunning photos. I am trying to do a better job of composition of my bird photos and these do inspire me. I am shooting with the Nikon Z9 and the 70-200 F2.8 lens often with the x2 teleconverter.
J

Jim 11 Dec 2022
Photos made by a photographer not a birder; they look real and have a lot of personality, not the typical Audubon magazine glazed look. Thanks for sharing.
SB

Steve Baczewski 10 Dec 2022
I would love to see them printed and displayed. Each picture is unique. Thanks. Steve
JP

Jamie Pillers 10 Dec 2022
These are truly wonderful images, Jen! Some of the best I've ever seen. They explain why someone would want to photograph this subject. :-)
D

Deborah 10 Dec 2022
These are beautiful. Thank you for sharing!