The Photo of the Week is posted every Monday.  Each photo aims to document the things I've seen, places I've been and all sorts of curious things I have encountered as I go about my daily activities.  Along with the photo I will provide some background and interesting facts about the image and some technical information as well.

As 2015 comes to an end, so does the "Photo of the Week" series as this photo is #52.  Reviewing all of the previous weekly photos is very revealing because I found it to be sort of a visual diary of my experiences during the past year.  A weekly photo project takes a lot of discipline but it's also fun because even I don't know what the next photo will be!  Photo opportunities can present themselves at any time, even in the most unlikely places.

My little friend the White-throated sparrow paid a visit on my front porch early in the morning.  He was busy searching for food that was possibly hidden beneath a light dusting of freshly fallen snow.  Fortunately for him (and all of his beaked buddies), food is readily available at the bird feeders that I tirelessly try to keep filled.  If you like to feed birds as I do, I am sure you already know how quickly they can deplete a feeder full of seeds!

I shot the photo of this sparrow through the glass of my front door.  He sat there for awhile and didn't fly away.  The perfect moment came when he noticed me and turned his head back and that locked gaze was what I tried to capture.  A few seconds later, he flew off, leaving two tiny footprints in the snow.

Equipment and Settings

Canon 40D
1/80 sec at f2.8, ISO 640
Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS USM lens set at 200mm