Bird of the Day, theme 'Light And Shadow'

natureSep 21, 20261052,660

Bird of the Day is a daily community event; the chosen theme is LightAndShadow with an alternate theme of FallBirds. Participants are posting bird photos that emphasize contrast and dappled lighting, from backlit swans and raptors in late-afternoon glow to understory warblers and shorebirds half in shadow. Example gallery entries include a swan captured in deep shadow, a Little Blue Heron perched on a bare snag at Bonita Springs dated 9-19-26, and a Red Kite flying overhead against a clear blue sky. Look for other submissions such as a Stonechat on bramble at winter sunset, a Wilson’s Warbler in riparian dappled light, and a mallard drake poised on the edge of a patch of sunlight.

Alan H

@alan678.bsky.social

Hi birders, I’ll be back on Wednesday to annoy everyone again. The #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #LightAndShadow, any bird capture that has both. The alt is #FallBirds, any Autumn/ Fall bird captures. Sorry can’t respond to comments. 🙏🏼🤗 Goldcrest #birds #photography #ECK

A tiny Goldcrest perched on a slender branch, surrounded by lush green leaves. The bird’s delicate greyish-buff plumage is softly illuminated, with a vivid yellow-orange crown stripe catching the light. Its fine, pointed bill and large dark eye are clearly visible as it looks upward, while its fine feathers glow against the darker, softly blurred woodland background. The natural shadows create a beautiful, intimate woodland portrait.

2398h ago

Atlantic Birding1

Lovely shot Alan, enjoy the Holiday!

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

Morning Alan, what a lovely bird and beautiful photo. Wonderful themes 🤗😘

Rina1

Beautiful capture and themes, dear Alan 🙏🤗 Please take care ❤️😘

Glynis R1

Love this Alan. My favourite part of photography is light and shadow. Beautiful capture 😍

Mark Simmonds

@markbirdingpinoso.bsky.social

I only see Northern Wheatear in the spring and autumn here. This smart bird was on the local steppe and is my #birdoftheday #fallbirds. #birdphotography

2146h ago

Ian Parsons3

I saw lots going through Extremadura over the last few weeks as well as a lot of Whinchat too, always nice to see a Whinchat. This one was on spring passage when they can often be harder to find. Love the autumn passage of birds, brief visitors on long migrations.

Aintright

@aintright.bsky.social

#BirdOfTheDay #LightAndShadow #birds #photography #ECK

1894h ago

Rina

@rina2012.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #LightAndShadow, the alt. theme is #FallBirds 🪶 A swan in the shadows 🦢 Sometimes you have to be your own light in the darkest places. ✨️ #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Germany #wildlife #photography #nature #thelittlethings #ECK #PaintbyWords

A white mute swan swims alone on a very dark, mirror-like surface of water. Blurred green leaves can be seen in the foreground. The image is brought to life by the strong contrast between light and shadow.

1335h ago

Atlantic Birding

@atlanticbirding.bsky.social

🪶 Alan has chosen #LightAndShadow as today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme; any bird capture with both Alternative is #FallBirds, and Autumn/Fall bird captures A Stonechat on bramble in the winter sunset. #birdphotography #ECK #birds #photography #birdsofbluesky #goldnehour

A Stonechat perched on old bramble stems in the winter sunset. The bird is right of centre of frame, facing the camera with its head turned to the left so the left side of its face is visible.
The bird has a thin beak, black head, off colour a little in the off season, a white half collar on the sides of the neck and an orange-red breast. The bottom of its black tail can be seen behind it.
The sunset is shining in from the right and lighting up the back of the birds head, left side of its chest and dark legs. The right side is in light shadow.
The bird is perched on an arch of old bramble stem, which is in the bottom right of the frame along with two other stems. They are illuminated with the golden light of sunset. Another bramble stem, out of focus, travel from the left of the shot almost all the way along the bottom.
The background is an out of focus white sky with a line of out of focus green at the bottom

1337h ago

Barrie Cull2

Beautiful shades of orange on that Stonechat AB 👏

Helen Bennett 🌿1

Beautiful photo AB, wonderful glow from the sunset! 🧡

Mr Garden1

Great shot AB. 👌 Love the colour. 😍

alisonwillis1.bsky.social1

What a pretty capture 🥰

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

It is gorgeous in this light AB🧡 have a fine day and new week ✨️

Laurette

@laurette1.bsky.social

Swan at Frensham Great Pond. #BirdoftheDay #LightandShadow #FallBirds #SurreyHills #Swans #Reflections #Photography #Autumn

777h ago

Marjo Slingerland-Boks1

So lovely and a fine new week Laurette 🦢🤍

PacBirds

@pacbirds.bsky.social

A Wilson’s warbler in the dappled light of the riparian woodland understory for the #LightAndShadow and #FallBirds themes of #BirdOfTheDay. #birds #nature #photography #ECK

An immature male Wilson’s warbler is perched on a vertical branch. He is largely in the shade, but a spot of sunlight falls on his eye and the side of his head.

775h ago

rob_hazius2

A beautiful little fella! 💚

Gray

@grays.art

Little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) on bare tree snag CREW pen flint strand marsh Bonita Springs, Florida 9-19-26 Alan has chosen #LightAndShadow as today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme: any bird capture with both. Alt. #FallBirds: Autumn/Fall bird captures. #eck #nature #threeWordGenre #birding #birds

787h ago

🇨🇦josephalley1

Gray I love your photos - all of them. However the photos of herons are my fav. Thank you for the enjoyment you bring me.

Three Word Genre1

Wonderful natural composition. Your three words strike a blue note. Little blue heron. #ThreeWordGenre

Amy Gann

@amygann.bsky.social

Great egrets gather at dawn. As the sun rises in the sky, the light of a new day falls over the birds For the #birdoftheday theme of #lightandshadow #birds #heron #egret #protectnature #EastCoastKin

695h ago

Aj d'Wit (Audrey)1

Wow! This is a truly beautiful photo. Everything about it is superb. 👌🏼✨

Martin Sepion

@martinsepion.bsky.social

Today's #BirdoftheDay theme by @alan678.bsky.social is #LightandShadow #photography #birds #nature #wildlife #EastCoastKin Sun worshipper

596h ago

The Garden Jungle

@thegardenjungle.bsky.social

#LightandShadow is the theme for todays #BirdOfTheDay, so here is a beautiful shot of a Red Kite flying overhead against a lovely blue sky #birds #thegardenjungle #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #shropshire #UKwildlife #birdphotography #canon #photography

586h ago

HLK

@hlkfotos.com

Young robin. #BirdOfTheDay #LightAndShadow 📷🌿🪶

A photo of a juvenile American robin (Turdus migratorius) standing on pale sand in a mix of low-angled sunlight and shade. Its back is densely scalloped with cream-edged brown feathers and it has rusty orange underparts, a white throat, a brown head with a large dark eye, and a slim grayish-brown bill. Visible gape flanges mark it as a recent fledgling. Brown wings with pale-fringed coverts fold over the dark tail, and it stands on slender grayish legs, facing toward the left of frame, with a blurred beige and gray background of sand and shadows.

505h ago

ronm123photo

@ronm123photo.bsky.social

Alan said the #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #LightAndShadow and the alt is #FallBirds. I’m going with another #barnowl shot from my recent Norfolk trip… #FSprintmonday @fotospeed.bsky.social is it still running this month? #birds #photography #ECK #ukbirds #wildlife #ukwildlife #owl

A barn owl on a stump, both of which are slightly diagonal, with the owl staring down to it’s left and the right of the scene looking for prey. The background is a blurred mix of greens and it was a bit windy at the time.

497h ago

✮ 𝒥𝒶𝓃𝑒 ✮

@janesgallery.bsky.social

#BirdOfTheDay alt theme is #FallBirds #AutumnBirds @alan678.bsky.social Red Kite in Autumn #BirdPhotography #Birds #Nature #birdwatching #ECK

The red kite is captured from a back-facing angle, looking directly at the camera with sharp, piercing yellow eyes. Its plumage is highly detailed, showing rich layers of reddish-brown and dark chestnut feathers across its back and wings. It has a pale grey, finely streaked head and a hooked yellow beak. Its long, dark tail feathers extend downwards, showing the classic tapering shape characteristic of the species.
The bird is resting on a weathered, mossy branch. The background consists of a dense network of branches filled with autumn foliage in warm shades of golden-yellow, amber, and brown, softened by a shallow depth of field that makes the bird stand out clearly.
The photograph uses soft, natural evening light that illuminates the edges of the bird's feathers and the surrounding autumn leaves, giving the scene a warm, golden atmosphere
Sony RX 10

387h ago

Marjo Slingerland-Boks

@marjosl.eurosky.social

So Alan, have set the themes for #BirdOfTheDay in #LightAndShadow and the Alt #FallBirds #ECK #Birds I go for the first theme with this lovely Eurasian Jay on a warm summer day. Trying to find some shade in the trees 🌳

You see here a beautiful Eurasian Jay that is trying to find some shade in the tree. On a very hot summer day. The sunlight is falling on the beautiful colour from its belly. That looks very soft brown. And on the blue in its wings. The leaves in the tree are soft green.

387h ago

Fat Bear Week returns, spotlight on Mama Bear #132nature Bird of the Day, theme 'Light And Shadow'nature

Bird of the Day, theme 'Light And Shadow'

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