The Passerines of 2025

This photographer always finds it fun to look back on the past year and pick out what I determine to be the Best-of bird photos of the year. This year's collection focuses on Passerines (perching birds) of merit in my travels. Many just required a walk out the door to my backyard.

This beauty is a Painted Bunting, a bird of the Southern United States. I caught this fellow in South Carolina at Huntington Beach State Park.  This bird has been on my wish list for many years. In 2025 - I finally saw one. As the climate warms their range is moving further north. Maybe I will live to see them here at the lake.

This fellow is the Baltimore Oriole. I have an affinity for this guy having started my life in Baltimore 79 years ago. This fellow however summer's at my Sister Elaine's farm in Hamlin New York.  Oddly, they are rarely seen in Baltimore. Here he is enjoying a green tree worm.

This little singer is a common song sparrow. They are ubiquitous in the east and welcome morning choristers in your Spring garden. This one I caught on a memorable day with my son at Hammonasset State Park in Connecticut. The sun filtering through the mist on a background of reeds gave this fellow pride of place in the "Best-of".

Here is one of my favorite birds, the Cedar Waxwing. He and his western brother, the Bohemian waxwing, have a subtle beauty that I find very striking. Their mask along with their yellow and red tips on their feathers make them a special find when you see one. This boy is from Connecticut but they have regularly been found at our local park and on my cedar tree in my backyard. You rarely see one alone. They tend to fly in flocks.

Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird, taking a rest from feeding their brood in one of my birdhouses. I have witnessed my backyard bluebirds having up to three broods in a season.  This pair are feeding their third and look worse-for-ware for doing so. Mom and Dad tend the nest all summer long. They don't migrate and will spend their winter watching me spruce up their houses for next Spring.

Here is a Tufted Titmouse in position for take off. These guys are everywhere in my backyard all year long. I suspect it's my fine offering of Sunflower seed that keeps them around. My yard is an open space that is bordered with hardwoods on one side and pine trees on the other. The lake expands to the front providing a flyway and water source along its bank for a drink. Low shrubs provide places to scoot when a hawk shows up so the environment must be perfect for them. I can get bored photographing them but then you catch a shot like this and they are forgiven.

It rarely snows here in Virginia (knock on wood) so when we get a storm I'm sure to be out in the morning to catch bird-in-snow photos. This is one shot I caught in the morning of a House  Finch perched in the cedar tree that my wife wants to cut down....NEVER. This guy qualified for this year's Christmas card. Good thing I captured my snow shots while still in my pajamas since the snow disappeared by 10AM. Apologies to my neighbors.

Isn't he cute? This Yellow Warbler is a migrating visiter we see in the Spring and Fall. He can be distinguished from other yellow birds by his chestnut colored stripes on his chest.  He winters in the Southern United States. See you next Spring fellow.

Who doesn't love a Northern Cardinal and especially a Cardinal in snow. The Cardinal is the Virginia State bird...and several other states too. I guess we can share this beauty. He didn't make the cut for this year's Christmas card.....too  much of a cliché. Maybe next year.

I love this shot taken in my son's backyard in Connecticut. The birds are very common House Finches but the expressions are priceless. I can just hear this boastful male laying a heavy line on this gal about all the things he's accomplished in life and why he is the best choice for a mate.  Move on to bachelor #2.

Let's close this series with another common beauty from the backyard, the American Goldfinch. For those of us who become interested in Bird photography we can't stop taking pictures of BIRDS. We have thousands of pictures of different species but when we see a bird we shout "stop the car - I don't have this one". This year I added a bumper sticker to my car that says "I stop for birds". I have award winning shots of Goldfinches in Red Bud trees and Dogwood trees but this fellow made this years Best-of cut just because I loved the contrast of the Green background framing this yellow beauty.

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I thank God for another year of enjoying these creatures and for my lovely wife who humors me and my hobby. She is an excellent spotter and is often the one calling out "Look a Hawk!". 

 

Chasing the Historic Norfolk and Western 611

Weekends during the Fall of 2025 the Virginia Scenic Railroad, operated by the Buckingham Branch, Railroad hosted the historic Norfolk and Western Steam Engine #611. The route organized for the excursion ran through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley from Goshen to Staunton Virginia.

During the height of the Fall foliage Julie and I spent an afternoon scoping out Photo locations along the line and then two friends and I chased the 611 along its route during its last weekend of operation, October 24h.  It was interesting to see all the railroading buffs who traveled from all over the country to see this historic train. Tickets were available to ride the train however our interest was capturing some great photography.

 

The Norfolk and Western 611 is a historic steam locomotive built in 1950 and is the only surviving Class J484 locomotive designed and built in Roanoke Virginia. It operated in passenger service until 1959 before being donated to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in 1962. Its latest restoration was in 2015 and it continues to operate for special events today. 

After taking some photographs of the train steaming along the route we traveled to the Goshen station to see the 611 up close. I was immediately struck by how massive this engine is and what a statement it makes about our industrial engineering in the past. In today's computerized age when we can't  comprehend the workings of our engineering marvels it's fascinating to see a machine that we can basically imagine how it works. 

These massive wheels are easily taller than my 6 foot frame. This woman was cleaning and oiling these drive shafts, getting ready for the afternoon excursion.

These mighty piston rods, transfer power to the drive shafts.

The streamlined locomotive was to bring steam travel into the modern age. They were quickly replaced in the 1950's as diesel/electric engines introduced a more efficient engine. Diesel/electrics require less maintenance, less amounts of fuel. and provide more power per mile. Traveling on trains today you often see the relicts of this bygone era in the derelict wooden water tanks and coal bins along the route.

The Train bell, tucked away in the front of the engine sounds as a warning that the train is about to move, warning workmen and pedestrians to move out of the way.

Seeing the Engineer as the 611 passed by brought out the inner child in this 79 year old. Who can resist waving at the Engineer and Fireman who responded with a return wave.

The age of steam and these historic locomotives bring out many memories and emotions. My memories include the anticipation of Christmas morning and hoping Santa would bring me an addition to my Lionel train set -  My memories of visiting my Grandmother in Minersville, Pennsylvania in the 1950's and feeling the rumble of the locomotive pulling the coal train by in the back of her yard.  - The smell of the burning coal from the engines that permeated the town. - Traveling with my mother to see my grandparents in Baltimore and getting dressed in our finest to ride the B&O Royal Blue from NYC to Baltimore. I can still hear the conductor calling out "Next Stop....Ball...tow.....more".

Thanks to all the folks who work on raising funds and restoring these magnificent examples of engineering for museums across the country.