Photographer: George Saxton, Renton

Photo taken: Feb. 16, Soos Creek Trail, Kent

Photographer's description: "After seeing the movie ‘The Big Year,’ I have a new obsession with birding. My wife and I saw this one during a walk along the Soos Creek Trail. I always take my camera — a Nikon D800 with 55-300 lens. This bird is a golden-crowned kinglet."

Expert says: "Great use of depth of field to get a crisp focus on the eye of the bird and clean background. I like how some branches in the foreground are out-of-focus and some sharp to get a sense of the bird’s environment. I like the elongated crop, as well."

-- Katie Greene,
Seattle Times photo staff

Share your recent photo from around the Northwest. Submit online at seattletimes.com/northwestphotos (and see an online gallery of other Reader’s Lens photos). We judge the best and award a prize every December.