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Birds 2013

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 6:13 pm
by mvanrheenen
Hello everyone,

A new year is upon us so like the last 2 years, let me be the first to start with a new birds thread!

I hope everyone has a great time birding in 2013!

Mark

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 6:08 pm
by mvanrheenen
Everyone is still using the Birds 2012 thread. Well, I'm stubborn, so I'll be using this one :mrgreen:

I went for a cold walk today around a small lake today. Saw a lot of birds and took a few mediocre shots. Still have to figure out how others get these fabulous shots.

#1 - Common Kestrel (probably a juvenile) (Falco tinnunculus)

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#2 - Herring gull (Larus argentatus)

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#3 - Great egret (Casmerodius albus)

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All shot with a580 and 70-400G on a monopod.

Mark

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 6:09 pm
by mvanrheenen
And the best of the lot:

#4 - Common buzzard (buteo buteo)

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Mark

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:33 pm
by Wildieswife
I'll join the '13 thread, too :) Nice shots - especially the Egret.

All from my garden hide.

This young male, probably one of a late clutch, is getting ready for spring. He’s turning black and his eye and beak are going yellow. A few days ago his beak had no sign of yellow.

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This more mature male was quite proprietorial with the fat ball. I don’t usually like to make the ‘bait’ so obvious but I thought his attitude was interesting in this one.

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And a random Dunnock! Our Dunnocks are quite obliging and don't skulk in the undergrowth as much as some.

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Pat

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 2:07 pm
by mvanrheenen
Great shots Pat, especially the one of the Blackbird with the ball of fat in its beak. I like the posture of it a lot.

As half the country is covered in about 20 cm of snow, the birds in our gardens have a hard time finding a place to sit. All these shots were made from my huge garden hide (my house :lol:). All shot through a window with my a580 and 70-400G mounted on a monopod. All were manual focussed.

Western Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)

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Common Blackbird (female) (Turdus merula)

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A fluffy Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

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Mark

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:48 pm
by Wildieswife
All wonderful! They have a lovely 'painterly' quality which may have something to do with your (very clean) window. You would never suspect there was glass between you and the birds!

Pat

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 2:52 pm
by mvanrheenen
You would if you saw the uneddited images ;-)

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 5:17 pm
by aster
Great photos from the winterlands close to you, Pat and Mark. : )

All very impressive considering the conditions they were shot in... Pat, your shots captured the sweet side of the rather dark section of the bird species.

And, Mark, pretty neat for behind-the-glass photographer! :D Love these small creatures, the Robin being my favourite; they have a way of turning themselves into a fluffy feather ball in cold weather and you have captured a lovely one.

Thanks for sharing and keep shooting! : ))

Yildiz

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:55 pm
by Greg Beetham
Yes I agree, very nice shootin from you two.
Greg

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:30 pm
by Wildieswife
Thankyou for the kind words :)

One from today. It actually snowed a little in the village so the birds were keen to feed themselves. Besides their usual sunflower/mixed seed/peanuts and fatballs I gave them apple/sultanas and cubed wholemeal bread with leftover cooking oil. I always save the oil to put on the unwanted ends of the loaves.
Spoilt rotten, or what?

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Pat

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 10:45 pm
by Birma
Wonderful shots Pat and Mark. I am especially fond of the Blackbirds in my garden and it is great to see their relatives in yours :)

Mark, that is the most fluffed up Robin I've seen :o

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:05 pm
by mvanrheenen
Nice snow covered Robin, Pat!

@Birma: me too, poor feller!

Tracked a few birds today. After an hour and a half playing cat and mouse with a Kingfisher, I managed to get some decent shots of him/her.

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

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Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Found this one standing all chilly on the ice. Note the ice hanging from its beak :(

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Mark

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:13 pm
by mvanrheenen
Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

These guys are not shy. I was able to make this close-up because one of them was a bit curious about the human with the funny machine in its hands :lol:

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Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

It's a shame that its tail is behind the little piece of reed. Otherwise it would have been a great photo.

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Mark

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:15 pm
by Birma
Those are all great Mark. The King Fisher is a super find.

Re: Birds 2013

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 9:31 pm
by mvanrheenen
Thank you Andy!