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Old owl shot from Feb this year (owl season is nearly here!) A few stray Costa Rica shots: Blue-crowned Motmot  Macaw  Collared Aracari  Moon Potato posted:ay, so I pulled over and grabbed my camera. Unfortunately, a cloud moved over the sun while it was happening, but after cruising around the field for a bit, it dove right in front of me. A Saucy Bratwurst posted:
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Nov 6, 2015 17:10
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I tried using the inbuilt flash but it was too bright a day and I dont own an external one. Its on my list though. The magpie is the standard common one you see in Australia. Normally they are really aggressive and swoop you for hundreds of meters, especially this time of year. I guess that guy hadnt seen people too much cause he was curious enough to walk right up to me. I really like your picture of the motmot, thats a really pretty bird. Is that macaw wild? E: I got on the computer and looked it up and they are literally called "Australian Magpies" underage at the vape shop fucked around with this message at 03:30 on Nov 7, 2015 |
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Nov 7, 2015 03:16
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I've had success with using a Canon 430EXII flash to photograph hummingbirds, it worked from a surprisingly long distance (although thanks to the distance the photos didn't turn out that well, but they were certainly well-lit.) The problem is dealing with the extra bulk and awkwardness of toting around a big flash out in the woods. I didn't make it out very far today, but I did manage to get some photos of the local water birds on the bread dole at a nearby park. (Feeding ducks bread is not good for them. Many of the ducks found here are unhealthy.)  waterfowl expressions-07646 by S M, on FlickrA pissed-off looking Egyptian goose. These were probably the most common anatids at the park today. Around a dozen of them were hanging out on the park road, playing chicken with passing vehicles. They would stand in the vehicles' path, wait for them to come to a halt, then slowly waddle out of the way.  waterfowl expressions-07415 by S M, on FlickrDomestic goose. Together with the Egyptians, they are the true masters of the park. While the latter have a rivalry with the local cars, these farm geese most likely see the common Small American child as their greatest enemy.  waterfowl expressions-07539 by S M, on FlickrAll American coots have a devious expression, and it suits their behavior. They lay eggs in each others' nests, and are known to favor certain of their young, while allowing the others to starve. They will also cannibalize each other in times of scarce food availability.  waterfowl expressions-07521 by S M, on Flickr waterfowl expressions-07434 by S M, on FlickrWood ducks, male and female. They are the Chihuahuas of the duck world. As are Mandarin ducks.  waterfowl expressions-07618 by S M, on FlickrDoes this one look smug? I'll tell you a secret: this duck is a rapist. 
SMERSH Mouth fucked around with this message at 06:41 on Nov 8, 2015 |
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Nov 7, 2015 06:03
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I took this image in May 2014 during a sailing trip. It's a juvenile male Costa's hummingbird I'm reposting it because it just got selected to be used in an upcoming book being published by Heritage House & Seattle Audubon Society: Birds of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest: A Complete Guide [HH/Canadian edition]/Birds of the Pacific Northwest [SAS/USA edition], by Richard Cannings, Tom Aversa, and Hal Opperman It'll be published next year and I get a copy of the book as payment. 
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Nov 7, 2015 06:20
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SMERSH Mouth posted:
These are Wood Ducks not Mandarin ducks.
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Nov 7, 2015 12:45
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What I get for posting right before falling asleep  Edit: They were also smaller than any of the wild Wood ducks I've seen elsewhere. These two were definitely acclimated to humans and I suspect that their diet contains a significant proportion of white bread. Not that it necessarily has any bearing on their size. SMERSH Mouth fucked around with this message at 06:44 on Nov 8, 2015 |
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Nov 7, 2015 14:26
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InternetJunky posted:Collared Aracari Kenshin posted:I took this image in May 2014 during a sailing trip. It's a juvenile male Costa's hummingbird We're starting to get Burrowing Owls in the dunes for the winter. Someone tipped me off to the location of one burrow, and I was able to find it pretty easily.  burrowing-owl by Redwood Planet, on Flickr As I was leaving, I stopped to talk to some California Conservation Corps workers that were just finishing up an invasive plant removal project for the day, and they had found what they suspected was a second occupied burrow. I went to check that out after a failed stakeout of the first burrow the next day, and sure enough it was occupied.  burrowing-owl-evening by Redwood Planet, on Flickr The weather wasn't cooperating with my attempts to shoot kites hunting at the national wildlife refuge, so I decided to use the clouds and shoot some silhouettes.  kite-parachute-sunset by Redwood Planet, on Flickr
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Nov 7, 2015 20:59
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Moon Potato posted:
These are all fantastic! I guess Burrowing Owls are a little more obvious, but how do people get shots of owls in general? I've never even seen an owl before I found this Barred Owl in a tree. I was able to get a distant shot of it that turned out ok, but I didn't have much luck approaching it.  Barred Owl by Jason the Hutt, on FlickrI don't know if I was just too eager because it was my first owl, but it always flew directly away from me when I approached, and I was never able to get a clean shot. I followed it to a couple of trees until I lost it, and this is the best I got.   Totally a Barred Owl by Jason the Hutt, on Flickr I don't know how you guys (InternetJunky) are able to get flight shots, especially in any direction other than directly away.
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Nov 10, 2015 00:55
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Bubbacub posted:I don't know how you guys (InternetJunky) are able to get flight shots, especially in any direction other than directly away. Fun shots! I've never really been able to get even the branch-obscured shot you got there. I assume the other guys posting insane perfectly sharp perfect DoF dead-on flight shots are probably sitting in a blind.
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Nov 10, 2015 13:39
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SMERSH Mouth posted:
Kenshin posted:I took this image in May 2014 during a sailing trip. It's a juvenile male Costa's hummingbird Moon Potato posted:We're starting to get Burrowing Owls in the dunes for the winter. Someone tipped me off to the location of one burrow, and I was able to find it pretty easily. Bubbacub posted:how do people get shots of owls in general? I can't speak for everyone, but I get my owl shots mostly by going out when it's ridiculously cold (-30C). They have to hunt 24/7 in those temps. Otherwise it's lots of driving at dawn or dusk to catch them as they are starting/finishing their day. As for your flight shot question -- you know how people say "it's not the equipment, it's the photographer"? For flight shots it's actually the equipment. There's a real skill to tracking birds in flight for sure, but if your autofocus is too slow or inaccurate then your skill doesn't mean much.
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Nov 11, 2015 03:08
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Not to infect this thread with too much gear talk, but for a canon user on a budget does that mean a 7Dmk1 and/or 70D? (On a budget here means never mind the 5D3 or 7D2.) Would we think the 7XX Rebels have that kind of AF performance, too?
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Nov 12, 2015 01:19
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SMERSH Mouth posted:Not to infect this thread with too much gear talk, but for a canon user on a budget does that mean a 7Dmk1 and/or 70D? (On a budget here means never mind the 5D3 or 7D2.) Would we think the 7XX Rebels have that kind of AF performance, too? My partner chose the 70d over the 7d based on it having a newer processor, and having slightly better high iso performance, and things like a touch screen and being a bit more modern. The 7d's extra autofocus modes aren't as useful for birds apparently. It was a close decision though, and I don't think you could go wrong with either.
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Nov 12, 2015 02:04
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Linedance posted:I don't think you could go wrong with either. Also, as someone who started in photography with the Rebel line, you are in for some frustration if you are after birds in flight with a Rebel.
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Nov 12, 2015 03:03
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Oh yeah I started with a 450D (in 2013!) and was done put off of the small VF and inconsistent AF, leading to a lot of missed focus shots. But I thought maybe the AF at least has gotten better as the years went by. Better qualitatively, not just more AF points. The 7D is now old enough to be very cheap for a "pro" body. The 70D is better in pretty much every way (except viewfinder magnification) for about 1.5x the price, used. And that's about the same as a new, new Rebel. Just weighing my options, although I think the lack of AF micro adjustment on the Rebels kill them as an option even if they have much improved tracking. Just so this post isn't all about gear, here's a Belted kingfisher in flight. It was very distant and this is heavily cropped. Manually focused at 1/1000, although the small aperture and long distance helped a lot with getting it in focus. 1/1000 should be fast enough to avoid motion blur even when panning, right? 
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Nov 12, 2015 04:22
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Bubbacub posted:I guess Burrowing Owls are a little more obvious, but how do people get shots of owls in general? Learning their calls can help you locate them, too. For advanced owling, imitating their calls (or playing back a high-quality recording) can get them to respond. People who do owl surveys have playback boxes full of recorded owl calls that they take out in the field so they can tally owls by sound at night. A couple weeks ago, I realized I hadn't uploaded anything to National Geographic's Your Shot in a couple years, so I started putting up some of my more recent photos. Yesterday, one of my shots was published on their website (mine's the one with the flocking shorebirds).
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Nov 13, 2015 03:31
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Kenshin posted:I took this image in May 2014 during a sailing trip. It's a juvenile male Costa's hummingbird That's awesome, congrats!
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Nov 14, 2015 08:23
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Moon Potato posted:A couple weeks ago, I realized I hadn't uploaded anything to National Geographic's Your Shot in a couple years, so I started putting up some of my more recent photos. Yesterday, one of my shots was published on their website (mine's the one with the flocking shorebirds). Congratulations! That's a fantastic shot. I always feel lucky when a bird decides to perch on a downhill tree and I end up close to eye-level.  Red-tailed Hawk by Jason the Hutt, on Flickr
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Nov 14, 2015 19:47
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Finally got a few minutes to process my photos I took while I was working in Houston. I wouldn't want to live there, but I wouldn't mind going there three times a year like I did this year.  Black Vultures by Josh, on Flickr  Eastern Bluebird Pair by Josh, on Flickr  Tufted Titmouse with Acorn by Josh, on Flickr  Stacked Caracaras by Josh, on Flickr  Field Crested Caracara by Josh, on Flick  Eastern Phoebe 2 by Josh, on Flick  Parking Lot Turnstone by Josh, on Flick  American Oystercatchers by Josh, on Flick  American Avocet by Josh, on Flick  Black-Bellied Whistling Duck Group by Josh, on Flick  Nelson's Sparrow by Josh, on Flick  Nelson's Sparrow 2 by Josh, on Flickr
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Nov 16, 2015 01:22
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The stack of caracaras and flock of whistling ducks made my day.
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Nov 16, 2015 03:04
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BeastOfExmoor posted:
I went out to watch Peregrine Falcons hunt yesterday, but they ended up chasing the shorebirds way off in some inaccessible wetlands. A couple Northern Harriers made some passes at the shorebirds in Arcata Marsh though, including a male that's been having a lot of success with the sandpipers lately.  harrier-menacing by Redwood Planet, on Flickr The light was pretty dismal, but he flew right past me with his catch.  harrier-sandpiper by Redwood Planet, on Flickr  harrier-sandpiper2 by Redwood Planet, on Flickr Moon Potato fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Nov 17, 2015 |
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Nov 17, 2015 20:34
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I wonder what it would be like knowing that you're going to be torn apart and eaten alive in a couple of minutes?
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Nov 19, 2015 03:29
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Was hoping to spy a stoat during my lunch break to test out my new (old) Vivitar lens. No stoat, but some bird drama made it worthwhile: Munchin' on Murre by Alexander Havens, on Flickr  "Can She See Me?" by Alexander Havens, on Flickr  Unwelcome Dinner Guest by Alexander Havens, on Flickr  Across the Table by Alexander Havens, on Flickr Alehkhs fucked around with this message at 09:26 on Nov 19, 2015 |
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Nov 19, 2015 07:18
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Alehkhs posted:Was hoping to spy a stoat during my lunch break to test out my new (old) Vivitar lens. No stoat, but some bird drama made it worthwhile: I love this sequence. The way the baldy is eyeballing the magpie, and the magpie giving no fucks about the massive eagle is fantastic.
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Nov 19, 2015 13:25
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Agreed, the look on the Eagle's face is fantastic. Also, which Vivitar did you get?
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Nov 19, 2015 23:18
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Linedance posted:I love this sequence. The way the baldy is eyeballing the magpie, and the magpie giving no fucks about the massive eagle is fantastic. ExecuDork posted:Agreed, the look on the Eagle's face is fantastic. Thanks for the feedback! I think this is the first time I've tried getting photos of a wild bird.  Watching the eagle and magpie have a stare-down over the murre was certainly a memorable moment. ----- ExecuDork posted:Also, which Vivitar did you get? I'm a newbie to this whole thing, and I wanted to finally get a second lens. Last month I managed to snag a pristine Vivitar "Series 1" 70-210mm (Version 3 - Manufactured by Komine). I wanted a lens to start doing more wildlife, and it called to me. That's what that eagle/magpie sequence was shot with, on an E-M5. At the same time, I also snagged an equally pristine Kiron-made Vivitar 70-150mm and 2x matched multiplier. There's obviously quite a bit of overlap on these two lenses, so I'm not sure if I'll keep both, but I'm having fun testing them out. The eagle/magpie sequence was my first time really seriously shooting with either Vivitar lens, but I didn't have the 70-150mm with me to compare. I'm hopeful I can do a comparison this week - of the 70-150mm, the 70-150mm w/ 2x multiplier, and the 70-210mm. ... and the 70-210mm w/ 2x multiplier 
Alehkhs fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Nov 20, 2015 |
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Nov 20, 2015 02:50
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 Merlin by Tyler Huestis, on Flickr Pine Grosbeak by Tyler Huestis, on FlickrThere were ~10 Pine Grosbeaks out today, only saw females though  American Robin by Tyler Huestis, on FlickrThere were 3 or 4 robins too, was a bit surprised to see them out at this time of year
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Nov 22, 2015 00:20
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Nice shots. Especially the Grosbeak. I got a photo of a female Blue grosbeak a few months back, but have yet to come across a male. Winter is upon us in the rightside-up part of the world (no leaves!) and I'm pumped to start getting the photos of songbirds in trees that my gear hasn't been capable of reaching in previous winters. And speaking of songbirds, how does the thread feel about feeder camping? Is it unsporting? I know obvious feeder shots will never have the same cachet as captures from the wild, but I'm strongly considering putting up some kind of attractive multi-seed feeding rig in my backyard and hopefully attract some of the harder to find small birds. My other main trepidation is the European swallow. Those fuckers have taken over feeders I've put out in the past. Maybe I'll just run suet and thistle socks and possibly some dried mealworms. That should attract a better variety than the plain seed mix I've used in the past.
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Nov 22, 2015 02:32
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 Cooper's Hawk by Jason the Hutt, on Flickr
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Nov 22, 2015 02:59
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SMERSH Mouth posted:And speaking of songbirds, how does the thread feel about feeder camping? Is it unsporting? I know obvious feeder shots will never have the same cachet as captures from the wild, but I'm strongly considering putting up some kind of attractive multi-seed feeding rig in my backyard and hopefully attract some of the harder to find small birds. My other main trepidation is the European swallow. Those fuckers have taken over feeders I've put out in the past. Maybe I'll just run suet and thistle socks and possibly some dried mealworms. That should attract a better variety than the plain seed mix I've used in the past. I have zero problem with photographing feeder birds. Doesn't cross any ethical boundaries (unless you're doing something really weird) and the most non-sporting things I see photographers do are ethics related or just-being-an-rear end in a top hat related. Speaking of which, almost winter owl season! edit: I'm assuming that you mean European sparrows (House Sparrows)? A swallow at a feeder would be pretty cool. I think your feed situation sounds good. I've had terrible luck with mixed bird seed. Most birds just discard the millet in favor of the little bits of sunflower, etc. I've had very good luck with black-oil sunflower seeds, but you may attract undesirable birds where you are (Grackles?). BeastOfExmoor fucked around with this message at 06:10 on Nov 22, 2015 |
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Nov 22, 2015 06:04
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Alehkhs posted:Last month I managed to snag a pristine Vivitar "Series 1" 70-210mm (Version 3 - Manufactured by Komine) Well done! That's exactly the lens recommended the most highly from that brand. I have a V4 and it's craptacular, your Komine should be - and appears to be - fantastic. SMERSH Mouth posted:And speaking of songbirds, how does the thread feel about feeder camping? Is it unsporting? I know obvious feeder shots will never have the same cachet as captures from the wild, but I'm strongly considering putting up some kind of attractive multi-seed feeding rig in my backyard and hopefully attract some of the harder to find small birds. My other main trepidation is the European swallow. Those fuckers have taken over feeders I've put out in the past. Maybe I'll just run suet and thistle socks and possibly some dried mealworms. That should attract a better variety than the plain seed mix I've used in the past. They're common as dirt in anything resembling an urban area, and they can be so bold as to seem positively domestic. That said, I like them a lot, and I see nothing wrong with feeding birds. Seconding the question about your location - where you are matters a whole bunch for what you can expect at your feeder (besides Euro Sparrows).
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Nov 22, 2015 06:19
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Fantail in the garden fantail by Marc, on Flickr
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Nov 22, 2015 11:25
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I'll echo BOE that in general there's nothing wrong with photographing birds at feeders. With good fieldcraft the birds won't be disturbed, the feeders themselves aren't photogenic so the aim is to find angles where they've not visible, and you need to be honest about the process (either pre-emptive disclosure or responding truthfully when asked, depending on the situation). There's the wider ethical issue of feeding animals, be it for photography or not, which need to be considered. Some people lean towards a blanket no, others seem to have no scruples about any feeding (as per BOE's owl comment) and I join many in the middle. IMO every situation needs to be viewed on it's own merits; are you harming the subject, is it bad for the species as a whole, is unfair to whatever it being used as bait, and is it environmentally sound. Those who feed the snowy owls can do so in a way that is bad for the individual bird by getting them to associate cars with food, and by being unfair to the live mouse that is thrust in to an alien and hostile environment only to be killed seconds late. With garden feeders, the main issue is poor hygiene that helps spread diseases that are having significant effects on some species. However, some have also made the argument the environmental cost of the amount of land and energy set aside to growing bird food is greater than the gain in the garden.
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Nov 22, 2015 12:31
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poo poo, of course yes I mean sparrows. God, why do I make these stupid bird name substitutions when I post late at night? (See the wood duck labeled mandarin duck in my previous post)
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Nov 22, 2015 12:52
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Apparently house sparrows really don't like the look of monofilament fishing line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSVOajB2OmM All the other garden birds aren't bothered. The other birds will also chuck and spill plenty of seeds on the ground for the sparrows and doves to clean up and get fed. When I was living in London, we went through several iterations of window feeder and got tons of awesome birds visiting. I can recommend Squirrel Buster brand as the most effective at deterring squirrels and bigger birds (with some minor modifications).
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Nov 22, 2015 13:34
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Apologies for the long post, I'm playing catch-up.BeastOfExmoor posted:Finally got a few minutes to process my photos I took while I was working in Houston. I wouldn't want to live there, but I wouldn't mind going there three times a year like I did this year. Moon Potato posted:I went out to watch Peregrine Falcons hunt yesterday, but they ended up chasing the shorebirds way off in some inaccessible wetlands. A couple Northern Harriers made some passes at the shorebirds in Arcata Marsh though, including a male that's been having a lot of success with the sandpipers lately. neckbeard posted:
SMERSH Mouth posted:And speaking of songbirds, how does the thread feel about feeder camping? Is it unsporting? I know obvious feeder shots will never have the same cachet as captures from the wild, but I'm strongly considering putting up some kind of attractive multi-seed feeding rig in my backyard and hopefully attract some of the harder to find small birds. My other main trepidation is the European swallow. Those fuckers have taken over feeders I've put out in the past. Maybe I'll just run suet and thistle socks and possibly some dried mealworms. That should attract a better variety than the plain seed mix I've used in the past. Raikyn posted:Fantail in the garden
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Nov 22, 2015 17:24
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Has anyone heard about or seen this new 200-500mm f5.6 Nikkor lens with IS? I just found out about it from my partner. Looks mighty impressive! That fantail is cute as heck btw
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Nov 23, 2015 02:14
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InternetJunky posted:
Thanks. Went back to Hawrelak today, only saw female Grosbeaks. Spent some time at the grain terminal, was hoping to see the Peregrine that's still hanging around, but it wasn't out while I was there. This Gyrfalcon has some damage to one of the feathers on it's right wing, so it will be easy to tell apart from the others over the winter. It wasn't hunting with any real urgency this afternoon, leading to some speculation that it had hunted successfully in the morning. No Prairie Falcon yet though  Gyrfalcon by Tyler Huestis, on Flickr Gyrfalcon by Tyler Huestis, on Flickrclosest to a strike we saw this afternoon  Gyrfalcon by Tyler Huestis, on FlickrI'm pleased that I nailed the focus, but I think it might have looked better with a shallower DoF, shot this at f/9  Gyrfalcon by Tyler Huestis, on Flickr
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Nov 23, 2015 04:03
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Awesome falcon shots, neckbeard. The Peregrine Falcon I was watching this afternoon just had two aborted attempts at chasing ducks before leaving to hunt elsewhere. Peregrine-Chase2 by Redwood Planet, on Flickr After recent rains, small flowering plants are coming up next to the trails, and this Anna's Hummingbird was loving it.  hummingbird-flower (1) by Redwood Planet, on Flickr  hummingbird-hover by Redwood Planet, on Flickr More harriers are showing up at Arcata Marsh now. A second male and a second Adult female have arrived, and the females are constantly having little scuffles.  harrier-chase2 by Redwood Planet, on Flickr The new male seems adept at hunting shorebirds, too.  grey-ghost-meal by Redwood Planet, on Flickr InternetJunky posted:I love that first shot. Great job on the flyby too. I've never seen harriers hunt shorebirds before. The ones around here seem to go after voles the majority of the time, although the shorebirds do flush when the harrier goes overhead.
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Nov 23, 2015 07:09
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So many amazing shots on this page. I especially love the eagle & magpie sequence. I've been quite busy and when I've had time the weather hasn't cooperated, but I finally had both the time and weather. My Tamron 150-600mm is out for warranty repair, so these are all with my older Sigma 120-400mm. I hadn't really used it with my D7200 very much and I'm pretty pleased with how well it worked (the year I was using the Sigma heavily I was using a D3200).  golden-crowned sparrow eating a berry. Lots of the small birds eat these berries all winter long in Discovery Park.  Dark-eyed junco posing on an evergreen  Anna's hummingbird in just-above-freezing weather.
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Nov 23, 2015 08:08
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The nice thing about taking 1000s of pictures is that it's great to go back in to your collection a few years later and find some stuff you missed. Here's an owl shot from 2012 I found this morning: neckbeard posted:
I really need to get out to the terminal before the weather really gets too much colder. Moon Potato posted:The new male seems adept at hunting shorebirds, too. Kenshin posted:
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Nov 26, 2015 17:33
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