I have a new appreciation for just how difficult it is to capture great bird images, especially small birds.

Right now I am going to the birds, not the other way around. I have found that this is a good way to improve subject variety, but the challenge is getting close enough without scaring them off. A nice side effect is that the process has really made me slow down and observe my environment. I am hearing and seeing things that I would otherwise ignore.

Quite a bit of learning over the last few days, but the process has been fun.
It's all a big treasure hunt. I don't think I'm quite ready to build a blind in the yard, but I am starting to understand the appeal.