WINGSCAPES

Best BirdCam Photos of 2009 - BirdCammer of the Year

Anyone who has been a regular visitor to the Wingscapes BirdCam Photo Gallery over the past year should not be in the least surprised to learn that, as the result of both the number as well as the superb quality of all the wonderful photos he has uploaded this past year, David Lindquist has been selected as the BirdCammer of the Year for 2009.

From his surprising discovery of a "Female Summer Tanager" in his backyard feeder:

To his artfully composed Eastern Bluebird and Gray Catbird pairing in "The Blue and the Gray:"

And who could forget his amazing "Laughing Gull 3" image, one of a series of beach-oriented photos he captured at Kure Beach, North Carolina:

David's remarkable contribution to the BirdCam Photo Gallery as well as his continued exploration into the possibilities of how many different things can be done using the Wingscapes BirdCam have well earned him our sincere gratitude, our respect, and the title BirdCammer of the Year for 2009.

Congratulations David!

Best BirdCam Photos of 2009 - Overall Favorites

Just what makes a Wingscapes BirdCam Photo Gallery image an Overall Favorite is not easy to describe. It could be the subject of the photo, the way the picture is framed, or even something as subtle as the message the image conveys. However it is described, we think we've picked a couple of the best here.

First, from John in Scappoose, Oregon, a Douglas Squirrel attempting to work out the answer to an age-old question of "Squirrel Philosophy:"

Then, shifting subjects from the ridiculous to the sublime, Hob in Kilauea, Kauai shared with us all this truly heartwarming image of a Laysan Albatross nestling being cared for by an attentive parent:

Coming up next, we finally announce the BirdCammer of the Year for 2009.

Best BirdCam Photos of 2009 - Photo Gallery User Favorites

As everyone can (and is encouraged to) rate and comment upon images in the Wingscapes BirdCam Photo Gallery, determining the Photo Gallery User Favorites was a very straight-forward task; however we did notice a bit of a theme common to the highest user-rated images.

"Green Feet," Joe in Concord, Ohio's image of a Pileated Woodpecker received five star ratings across the board:

As did Cher from Central New York State's Red-bellied Woodpecker titled "The Contortionist!"

Next up - the "Overall Favorite" BirdCam photos.

Best BirdCam Photos of 2009 - Most Beautiful Photograph

There have been so many beautiful photos uploaded to the Wingscapes BirdCam Photo Gallery that picking the best was not an easy task. However choose we must, so after considerable consideration we finally selected two that really defined the title of "Most Beautiful."

From Glenna in Mississauga, Ontario, this lovely as well as vivid "Perching Ruby:"

And from Cher in Central New York State, this amazing "Eastern Bluebird:"

Coming up next time - Photo Gallery User Favorites.

Best BirdCam Photos of 2009 - Most Unusual Species or Behavior

Next in our review of the best BirdCam photos of 2009, we present the Most Unusual Species or Behavior category.

First up, a bird that most bird watchers would give their eye teeth to open the blinds and see in their yard - the California Condor (photo uploaded by James from Kern County, California):

Next, Stephen from Rockland, Maine contributed this astonishing image of an Atlantic Puffin:

Finally, not so much an unusual species but certainly an unusual behavior for a familiar backyard species, David from Cary, North Carolina sent us this Carolina Wren doing its best hummingbird impersonation:

Hearty thanks indeed to James, Stephen, and David for sharing these great images with us all by uploading them to the Wingscapes BirdCam Photo Gallery.

Next, our choices for the Most Beautiful Photograph...

Best BirdCam Photos of 2009! - Video Category

We have been surprised and delighted by the brilliant photography and videography that has been contributed to Wingscapes.com over the past two years. Thank you to everyone who has contributed! To celebrate the arrival of our new line of cameras, the Wingscapes staff wanted to recognize some of our favorite shots taken by users of the Original BirdCam.

We'll start off with the "Best Video" category. First up, a Wingscapes hummingbird montage:

Next, we'll go "down under" for a clip of this bathing Noisy Miner submitted by Elli from Tasmania, Australia:

Check back soon for additional posts that will feature the "Most Unusual Species or Behavior," "Most Beautiful Photograph," "Photo Gallery User Favorites," and "Overall Favorites" categories as well as to see who will be named "Birdcammer of the Year."

Surprise Woodpecker

It happens to all birdwatchers. Regardless of how detailed your notes are or how many photos you take, there will at some point be that one bird you didn't particularly notice at first but about which you later found yourself thinking when the cartoon light bulb suddenly appears over your head and you say "Hey! that was a..."

Such was the late response we had to this colorful image of a Mourning Dove and a woodpecker that Milton from Surprise, Arizona uploaded to the Wingscapes BirdCam Photo Gallery. At first we just enjoyed it as a great photo but recently we exclaimed "Hey! That's a Gila Woodpecker."  Needless to say - this one goes onto the Wingscapes BirdCam Life List.

A Refreshing Drink

While many BirdCam owners prefer to focus their cameras directly on their favorite bird feeders, there are a number of other possible placements that can be equally as successful for recording some amazing images from the daily life of your backyard-visiting birds.

One great option, shown here in this image of a White-throated Sparrow uploaded to the Wingscapes Flickr group by none other than John of A DC Birding Blog, is near a bird bath. John has even added additional artistry to the image by positioning his BirdCam so as to record the bird’s reflection in the water was well. Thanks John!

New Wingscapes Cameras Are Here!

Thank you for supporting Wingscapes and believing in our products! We are very please to announce a new product line-up just in time for the holidays. Whether you are looking to upgrade your BirdCam or give someone a gift you know they'll love, we hope you enjoy these cameras!

 

The Audubon BirdCam is similar to the Original BirdCam - easy to set up and use, takes motion-activated photos and videos with sound. Key differences are more megapixels and no timelapse feature. And best yet, it's only $159.95! Hopefully this lower price will make the BirdCam popular with families as a great way to introduce children to the joy of birding.

Next up is the BirdCam 2.0, which is our highest performance BirdCam yet! It has a whopping 8 megapixels for crystal-clear images and stunning details. Plus, it features a flash for nighttime and low-light operation. If you want to spot owls or nighthawks, this BirdCam fits the bill and is only $199.95. 

Many of you have sent us great ideas for the timelapse feature of the Original BirdCam. Thanks to your ideas and inspiration we have developed a timelapse-only camera. The Timelapse PlantCam ($79.95) automatically takes still photos or short video clips at set time intervals. The camera can be set to automatically stitch together photos to create a timelapse movie so you don't have to fuss with software. Plus, it has the same rugged, weatherproof casing as the BirdCams.