Bird of the Day, theme 'Bokeh Birds'

natureSep 28, 202627416,375

Bird of the Day is a daily community event with today’s main theme #BokehBirds, which asks participants to share birds photographed or depicted against soft, muted, or blurry backgrounds, bonus points for visible bokeh balls. Submissions include close-up hummingbirds and kingfishers with shimmering out-of-focus highlights, shorebirds and herons at sunset or along rivers framed by soft backgrounds, and a mix of wild and backyard species captured in gentle light. Notable examples in the gallery are an Anna’s hummingbird with rain-created white bokeh balls, a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird on the Bruce Peninsula against blurred cedar trees, and an Atlantic puffin photographed with out-of-focus ocean light; an alternate theme today is Awkward Avian featuring a Northern Cardinal in a bath and a family of sandhill cranes in awkward poses. Look for delicate cockatiel watercolors and streaky or circular bokeh effects in many entries tagged #BokehBirds.

PacBirds

@pacbirds.bsky.social

An Anna’s hummingbird for the #BokehBirds theme of #BirdOfTheDay Water drops left by a recent rain shower are creating striking white bokeh balls. #birds #nature #photography #ECK #bokeh #hummingbird

A male Anna’s hummingbird is perched on a down curved twig, and on the lookout for rival males with his long bill facing up. In the background is an out of focus vertical branch of a coral tree (Erythrina) with red flower buds and white bokeh balls caused by rain drops.

163612d ago

Tom Lynch7

Thats really nice. The blur allows the complimentary color while not taking attention away from the subject.

Dave Meredith4

Nice take on the theme.

flanur2

all those dreamy sparkle balls for a bird that is, by weight, the angriest thing in the sky

Helen Bennett 🌿2

Beautiful photo, Gerrit and theme perfect! Thank you! It is wonderful how the colour of the flowers compliments and harmonises with the hummingbird! 👏✨

Pissed Off Pensioner2

My Anna's are warrior birds. I have to space the feeders around the yard so that no bird can see another feeder from the feeder they are guarding. Still, they fight.

Melinda B Hipple, author&artist2

Such a perfect shot! Composition is excellent (and I know that's not always easy with wildlife). Plus the colors echoed from bird to background.

Aintright

@aintright.bsky.social

Kevin the Kingfisher #Bokeh #BirdOfTheDay #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky

89612d ago

Thoeni1

Kevin is quite dashing and his posing is excellent within your frame! 💙

Treehugger1

I'm pretty sure that's Bart. But a pretty bird regardless!

Ellen Hayes Art1

What delicate lil feather designs 😍

jclk.bsky.social1

That is a great photo!

Cindi1

I love kingfishers. I used to walk 3 miles next to a river many days a week listening for them and watching them.

Alex Sauerbrunn

@birdsbyalex.bsky.social

A striking Cactus Wren, the largest wren in North America. #BokehBirds #BirdOfTheDay #birds #nature #wildlife #photography

A brown and white streaked bird perched on a branch against a blurred green background. Photographed in Irvine, California.

75511d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿2

Stunning photo Alex... wonderful close up detail 👏

Wendy Farrell2

love the patterns on the wren

SaraG2

What a gorgeous Wren! I love its intricate feather patterns. 😍

Charlie Ludwig1

That eye detail is fantastic!

Gary Ray Betz1

What a gorgeous little being!

Trilobyter

@trilobyter.bsky.social

Per @helenbennett.bsky.social, today's #BirdOfTheDay Alt theme is #AwkwardAvian - bird captured in a silly, clumsy or strange position! Here’s a Northern #Cardinal caught in the bath, probably feeling awkward & wishing for some privacy. #photography #birds #BirdPhotography #BackyardBirds #Birdbath

Color photo of a Northern Cardinal sitting in a birdbath with feathers fluffed up and water drops in the air around it.

54311d ago

Kenny the Keet1

not silly, but a raven caught in the rain 🕊️

Be The Change1

They are always wishing for privacy.

Lecia Michelle

@leciamichelle.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BokehBirds A male northern cardinal taken from the back. I love their feathers. #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky

Bright red male northern cardinal with crest on top of its head perched facing away from the camera on a bare tree branch.

40311d ago

ɱąɖɖıɛ 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇯🇵🇺🇸🇳🇴🇺🇦🏴‍☠️1

“Stop checking out my butt”

JBC

@johnbcaddell.bsky.social

a #macaw for #BirdOfTheDay theme of #BokehBirds

39211d ago

willfulchipmunk.bsky.social1

Great photo. I love those birds! Here's another photo of the day:

Dave Meredith

@davemeredith.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BokehBirds. A male Ruby-throated Hummingbird on the #BrucePeninsula, Ontario with a background of out of focus cedar trees. Manual focus with a telephoto from the 1980s. #BruceCounty #ECK #photography #birds #nature #wildlife #TenMinutesFromHome #BackyardPhotography

A mostly green male Ruby-throated Hummingbird in flight against an out of focus green background of cedar trees.

Made with a 10 year old DSLR and a manual focus telephoto from the 1980s.

35112d ago

David W. Rudlin1

This made me laugh. I live in Tokyo, and once lived next to a high school. We used to laugh at how spacey the boys were, often walking into things as their minds were occupied with video games or Pokemon cards. We called them "bokeh boys."

ᏉᎥᏦᏖᎧᏒᎥᏗ🪄1

So small, yet possessing so much courage and kindness😊 miracle🌷🌞

AnnaSabina1

I had a female ruby hummingbird at my feeder yesterday September 27th during the Nor'easter storm, I hope she moves south soon. In the past, they would leave Connecticut at the end of August, not sure if this is seen elsewhere?

Jason1

Absolutely the most flawless capture Dave, WOW 🤩 💚👍🏼

🦋 B34RS GYRL 💙1

Much better than my cell phone picture of this female!

Amy Gann

@amygann.bsky.social

A great egret walking along the edge of the river. For the #birdoftheday theme of #bokehbirds #birds #egret #heron #protectnature #EastCoastKin

34512d ago

simmcewen.bsky.social

@simmcewen.bsky.social

Red-breasted nuthatch #BokehBirds #BirdOfTheDay #Wildlife #NaturePhotography

A red-breasted nuthatch is perched on the edge of a ceramic dish with water droplets on it. The background of the photograph is green and out of focus.

29311d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Great shot... Nuthatches are lovely birds 👍

MarcZ1

Love those rascals This is “please hurry up and crack that peanut” guy

HLK

@hlkfotos.com

I kinda like this streaky bokeh. #BirdOfTheDay #BokehBirds 📷🌿🪶

27312d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿1

So do I... beautiful shot, Heather ✨️👌

Mike1

You're really good at this

Tony Allen-Mills1

I like the bird too!

bill doyle1

and here was i thinking it was a blackbird!

Neil Cameron1

Don't blame you. I like it very much too!

Justine Jones1

Wonderful timing HLK. 🌟🤩 Love the action and the bokeh.

Get To Know Nature

@gettoknownature.bsky.social

An American Oystercatcher in some absolutely divine light at sunset For the #BirdOfTheDay theme of #BokehBirds #birds 🌿 #SunsetAndSilhouettes #silhouette

A shorebird with a long beak stands on a beach bathed in golden light. It is silhouetted against a blurry and brightly sparkling ocean.

27112d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Stunning capture.... beautiful sunset light! ✨️🤍

Neil Cameron1

Have to love waves on water for providing perfect bokeh. Lovely shot.

Common or Garden Variety Emma1

That is a spectacular photo. Incredible!

Robyn

@handcranked.bsky.social

Sparrow spotting This little white-crowned sparrow was hanging out on the amaranth in the community garden near me. #BirdOfTheDay #BokehBirds #ColorADay #PinkMon #BlueSkyMonday #ECK #EastCoastKin #birds #PhotographersUnited #photography #ArtYear #OM-3

A juvenile white-crowned sparrow facing right on top of an amaranth plant that's mostly bright pink with some brown leaves. The bird is beige with dark brwn stripes on its head and wings. It has a yellow beak and dark eyes. The background is a blurred mix of a pinkish-lavender structure on the left, blue sky in the center, and bright yellow flowers on the right. There's a thin metal fence at the bottom.

27111d ago

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

This is so lovely Robyn ❤️

Mark D Alexander1

Beautiful photograph Robyn, have a wonderful week 🪶🌿☀️👋

Violet

@fetchingviolet.bsky.social

From Helen Bennett today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BokehBirds - any bird captured with a soft, muted or blurry background.Bonus points for any bokeh balls! Alt: #AwkwardAvian - any bird captured in a silly, clumsy or strange position! Ruby-throated Hummingbird #hummingbirds #birdphotography #bird

The photo shows a Ruby‑throated Hummingbird perched at the tip of a plant stem. The bird is small, with a long straight bill pointed upward, slightly open, gray‑white feathers on the chest, and darker feathers along the back and wings. Its tiny feet grip the stem just above a wilted orange flower. The stem has small droplets of water on it. The background is softly blurred in green tones, with round patches of light creating a gentle bokeh effect behind the hummingbird.

23612d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Stunning photo Violet.... I adore Hummingbirds and this one looks so beautiful in that bokeh setting 👌✨

ronm123photo1

Nice bokeh great photo 👌

imnjupiter1

Great! My hummingbird population is down to 4 or 5. Last week there were 4 or 5 dozen!

Tim Osborne Photography 🍁

@timosborne.ca

From @helenbennett.bsky.social, today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BokehBirds - any bird captured with a soft, muted or blurry background. Can't help but share a recent favourite of this puffin captured on the Isle of Staffa. #birds

A puffin stands on a mound of grass with small flowers. The background is a nice blurred bokeh featuring white circles where the light reflects off of the water.

21111d ago

Helen Bennett 🌿4

Such a beautiful capture, Tim... the bokeh background is perfect and really compliments the puffin! 👌✨

Jules Winter1

Very beautiful, thank you for sharing.

Timothy Keeney1

Awesome. What a great composition.

Amelia Clark - Lover of Flagons1

This is utterly stunning - I never bore of seeing it on my feed :) Puffin perfection

Dom Barker

@dakuan808.bsky.social

Today's #BirdOfTheDay is hosted by @helenbennett.bsky.social and the themes are #BokehBirds, birds with soft, muted or blurry backgrounds. Have yerselves a Kingfisher at dusk, settings etc: dombarker.co.uk/posts/965

19912d ago

Only me2

A very beautiful photo 😍

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Wonderful photo Dom... the Kingfisher is stunning but the bokeh is amazing! 👌✨

Bruce Grembowski1

Beautiful bird and bokeh balls!

Bird of the Day, theme 'Bokeh Birds'nature

Bird of the Day, theme 'Bokeh Birds'

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