Featured Photos from Karen Straus
I became a birder and bird photographer three years ago when a hawk flew into my backyard and landed in the birdbath. My husband and I
grabbed cameras and took pictures through the kitchen window as the magnificent bird splashed and preened. An old field guide to North American birds helped us ID the bird as a Cooper's Hawk. My life has not been the same since. I watched the hawk and its mate make a nest and successfully hatch four eggs. All four fledglings frequently visited our yard, splashing in the birdbath and running through the sprinklers. Now I photograph birds any chance I get: in my backyard, on walks and bicycle rides around my neighborhood, in local parks, at nearby beaches and wetlands, and on trips and vacations.
The best thing about watching birds? I can do it every day, wherever I am, plus I always see or hear something new: a new bird, a new behavior, a new bird song, or new bugs and beasts I wasn’t even looking for, from dragonflies to deer. I hope you enjoy my bird images as much as I enjoy learning about and photographing birds. All of the birds in this selection were photographed in the U.S. or Mexico.
Visit Karen's website to view more of her photographs.