| Black-Capped Chickadee | March 2007 |
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The tiny black-capped chickadee is the soul of merriment. It's always a joy to see one, whether at the bird feeder: |
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Or hanging upside-down on a branch.
The chickadee is equally deft wherever it's found.
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| Irregardless of their small size, chickadees appear to survive the coldest of Pennsylvania winters. They must have superior metabolism and/or down. | ||
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The family name of chickadees is Paridae, which is generic for "titmice." The British name for a chickadee is a "tit," so should any Americans ever listen to the Gilbert and Sullivan refrain "tit willow, tit willow" know that it is referring to a chickadee.
Photo note: I used a Pentax *ist D, with the SMC-A 300mm lens for the first photo (Feb. 2006) and the SMC 1000mm reflex lens for the second two (Feb. 2007). |
