I have a lens that is nearly as long as my arm. A small exaggeration, but not much.
When asked why I have such a mammoth piece of glass attached to my camera, I often answer with the same reply as the Big Bad Wolf, "The better to see you with!"
Sometimes the lens is just too powerful. When I discovered a weasel watching me a few years back, I actually had to inch backwards in order to get it in my frame. I was still too close to get the whole critter in one shot. Fortunately, the weasel was curious, not dangerous and scooted into the underbrush after about 2 minutes.
Where that long lens does come in handy is in observing the smaller birds. It is ideal for photographing a 5 inch bird from 20 feet away.
This may be the best photograph I have ever made of an Oregon junco. Although they are very common in Western Washington, they are hard to photograph. They are often hidden in the branches of a small tree or shrub. I often discover where they are when I see the scissor-flash of white on their tail as they dart to the next bush.
Oregon juncos are a regional variation of the Dark-eyed junco. They are easy to identify with their dark hooded head. This is probably a female because her hood is not as richly dark as most males. Oregon juncos are found mostly on the West Coast, although they can be seen anywhere west of the Mississippi.
Measuring 3 inches or less, the Bushtit is an impressive bird. In the winter, you will see (or hear) busy flocks of 10 to 40 individuals feeding on a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Bushtits weigh up to 0.2 ounces (about 2-3 pennies) and a pair of them can construct a sack-like nest of moss, leaves, lichens and spider webs measuring a foot or more.
The Bushtit in the photo above is feeding on a Douglas fir. Because Bushtits are so light, they easily hang below branches and pick insects off the bottom side of leaves and twigs.
Anna's hummingbirds are the only year-round resident hummingbird in Western Washington. At 3.9 inches, they can be difficult to spot. However, they are easy to hear. Anna's hummingbirds make a distinctive humming sound as they zip from treetop to treetop. The next time you are out, listen for a zip zip sound and look for a solitary treetop. You are likely to be rewarded with a hummingbird sighting!
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