Birds 2012

[mvanrheenen]

Thanks for the comments! If I have learned one thing, it is (and I saw this in another article the other day) that shutter speed is more important than anything else in getting a sharp photo, hand-held. The article advised using a rule of 3x focal length (e.g. 1/1200 for a 400mm) instead of the traditional 1x focal length. For me the quality of the lens is lost if the shutter speed is too low. It's more important than the DOF you get from stopping down. Even with steady-shot!! And now that we have these great sensors, we can shoot at ISO 800 or 1600 and use those high shutter speeds. I used to shoot Ektachrome 200 - can't imagine going back to ISO 200 for wildlife.

That's some really sound advice. I tend to agree, but the weather up here didn't allow these kinds of shutter speeds the last couple of months. If I can get 1/500 I'm a happy camper right now. Only thing I hate about high ISO's is the exponential drop in detail when cropping. I almost never get the chance to catch the bird live size in my frame, so I have to crop almost all my images. If I go anything above ISO 400 it tends to get really messy in the image.

On a side note, using high priority shutter works wonders too for all those fast little birds.

Mark- Not much return on investment, but definitely a beautiful return..

I wholeheartedly agree!

I never would've guessed I liked it, but since I got the 70-400G last year it made thing a lot easier and I got really hooked. Nowadays, I almost shoot nothing else

I lack the patience for that, as I am a casual birder...

Me too. I almost never use a tripod for the simple fact that I cannot stay in one place for more then 30 minutes. I admire the birders who can sit still and wait for a bird the whole day and the results often show, but although I do have that kind of patience there is always a bird a tree further which starts singing and peeks my interest. My hunting instinct really goes bananas when that happens

I'm heading to Big Bend National Park at the end of the month, and I am putting bird photography on my to do list... We'll see what happens!

Really looking forward to seeing your images from the park John!

I'm heading up to La Palma (one of the Canary Islands, Spain) in July and am planning on taking the 70-300G with me. Hope the missus lets me hunt some birds there while on holiday.

Mark

[Argonaut]

Only thing I hate about high ISO's is the exponential drop in detail when cropping. I almost never get the chance to catch the bird live size in my frame, so I have to crop almost all my images. If I go anything above ISO 400 it tends to get really messy in the image.

Interesting. Obviously there is going to be some falloff, but I have not seen a serious drop in quality, at least for computer/web display. The Hoopoe I posted a while back was cropped down to 1157x739 pixels (it was at least 30 meters away) at ISO 800. I did see some noise creeping in, but compared to a full frame 35mm film shot at ISO 400, it was clean as a whistle.

But, I can see real differences between the Hoopoe and the starling, which was shot from a few feet away and I used a tripod. I guess bird shooting is difficult enough that I'm grateful for whatever I get. *Every* shot gets cropped, for sure.

[mvanrheenen]

Yeah, mine too. I'll post an example tomorrow so I can show what I mean.

Mark

[mvanrheenen]

I had one of the best birdwatching days ever today. I went to another area near my home where there is a small lake where many bird live and breed. Haven't been there a lot, but after today will go there more frequently.

First off, I heard and saw an endangered bird around these parts, a Common Cuckoo. I was really exited but as the bird is pretty wary, I couldn't take a shot of it unfortunately. I did see a few bird I haven't seen or heard before and took a lot of great images as well.

#1 - Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

This buzzard scared the heck out of me and was spooked itself too. I was walking between a couple of bushes when it came flying low past me. Fortunately, my reflexes were fast enough and I ended up getting some really close images of the bird This image is cropped just 10%



#2 - Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Saw this little bird flying over the lake. Was able to take a few goos shots. Together with the buzzard shot it's my best BIF yet.



#3 - Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Found another one

[mvanrheenen]

#4 - Marsh Warbler (Acrocephalus palustris)

Never seen or heard this bird before today! What do these little birds make a lot of racket! Even worse than the Blackcaps. I was glad they did though, because as you can see, they are masterfully camouflaged for there surroundings.



#5 - Reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Another bird I haven't seen before. This one was eating a nice worm when it landed on a branch. After it was done, it hopped up the branch where I took this shot.



#6 Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

This bird looks exactly like a Chiffchaff, only it has lighter legs and feet. I'm still doubting my identification though.

[mvanrheenen]

#7 - Red-crested Pochards (Netta rufina)

These birds aren't common in my country. I was glad I spotted this male (right) and female (left) together.



#8 - Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Although quite common, these birds are on the red list because of destruction of their natural habitat. Their numbers decline rapidly unfortunately. They are great acrobats in the air, catching a lot of insects with fast swoops.



#9 - Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

The name doesn't tell, but this bird isn't common anymore around these parts. Found this one trying to split that pole in two

Had to post a smaller image due to the size constraints on the forum. Click the image for the original version.



EDIT: I reprocessed #2, 8 and 9 for some WB errors I made. #2 and 8 were too blue, #9 too yellow.

[Argonaut]

Nice shots Mark, particularly of the smaller birds. Photographing through the foliage and getting close enough is not easy.

I don't think Barn Swallows are on the red list - in fact, their Wiki says they are a species of "Least Concern". Local populations might be in trouble but overall they're doing fine.

[mvanrheenen]

Nice shots Mark, particularly of the smaller birds. Photographing through the foliage and getting close enough is not easy.

I don't think Barn Swallows are on the red list - in fact, their Wiki says they are a species of "Least Concern". Local populations might be in trouble but overall they're doing fine.

Hi Argonaut, thanks for the feedback!

The Barn Swallow is on the Dutch red list because their habitats are deminishing according to the Dutch branch of Birdlife International. The population is large, but they've got less and less space to breedlocally.

I forgot to post a pic of a bird!

#10 - Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)



#11 - Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)



Mark

[Birma]

Wow Mark, a pretty neat day's birding! That buzzard in flight is great, and I really like the LBJs (little brown jobs) in their natural surroundings.

[Dr. Harout]

Mark, you really are becoming a great nature photographer.
Well done and keep up the good job. Hope the OH appreciates your efforts.

[Greg Beetham]

It looks like you had marvellous time there Mark, lots of birds. I like the pheasant I thought that one was very good, and the warbler ‘making all the racket’ is exceptional I thought as well, it’s an impressive list of birds from a day out, a couple of great bif’s too, I know how fast those sandpipers can fly.
Greg
Ps. When it comes to the amount of ‘racket’ that the birds can produce, I’m convinced that the smaller they are the noisier they are, there is a Cisticola here, a very tiny LBJ, it looks and inhabits grass much like the warblers in the grass you photographed…but talk about noise when there is a group scattered through the grass, one has to marvel at how something so small can produce such a huge volume of sound.

[mvanrheenen]

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

@Doc: what's OH?
@Greg: I agree. I was very impressed by the Blackcaps ability to produce sound, even more so for the Marsh Warbler. Only bird that produces more decibels is the Song Thrush. A few weeks ago I thought one was close by listening to the singing. Eventually I found it some 30 meters away from me high up in the tree! Unbelievable...

You can find good sound samples of the birds here if someones interested: Marsh Warbler, Blackcap and Song Thrush.

Mark

[Dr. Harout]

@Doc: what's OH?

Mark

Learned from Pat: Other Half

[Greg Beetham]

I listened to the songs Mark, the Marsh Warbler sure has a repertoire I don’t think it repeated the same set of sounds in the whole recording, a great little bird to listen too.
Greg

[mvanrheenen]

If I read correctly, the Marsh Warbler only imitates and does not have it's own song. It's no wonder it has a varied song

Mark