Birds 2012

[jcoffin]

Well, in my mind, the tit was my main subject, although in the end, your focus is locked on the tick
Mark

I'm not sure, but I think I may have detected a hint of sarcasm when my wife leaned over my shoulder and said: "Imagine that: a man whose main focus is on a tit" (well, she used the plural, but the software translates that to "little feathered friends.")

[agorabasta]

... but the software translates that to "little feathered friends".

Definitely, the 'larger feathered friends' would make a much more appropriate euphemism to the intended audience

Frankly, David really should have the ''spelling police" into behaving more appropriately, as they have got out of hand completely here...

[jbtaylor]

Just felt like posting something. Shot with the a900 and the Minolta 300mm 2.8.

[mvanrheenen]

Well, in my mind, the tit was my main subject, although in the end, your focus is locked on the tick
Mark

I'm not sure, but I think I may have detected a hint of sarcasm when my wife leaned over my shoulder and said: "Imagine that: a man whose main focus is on a tit" (well, she used the plural, but the software translates that to "little feathered friends.")

hahaha!

The missus and I have a running gag that I like tits and she loves 'peckers

We had quite some weird looks on that one!

[jcoffin]

Just felt like posting something. Shot with the a900 and the Minolta 300mm 2.8.

Hah -- I know better. You're trying to keep things topical! If it weren't such a nice picture, I'd say "shame on you!"

[jcoffin]

The missus and I have a running gag that I like tits and she loves 'peckers

We had quite some weird looks on that one!

When I was in high school the mother of a girl I hung out with thought it was the height of hilarity to go to a reasonably nice restaurant and say (in a shocked stage-whisper): "Oh my! Don't look over there -- there's a man in the corner masticating!"

[mvanrheenen]

When I was in high school the mother of a girl I hung out with thought it was the height of hilarity to go to a reasonably nice restaurant and say (in a shocked stage-whisper): "Oh my! Don't look over there -- there's a man in the corner masticating!"

I would be very embarrased by my mother...

Okay, apologies for the off topic detour. The missus will be away for the bigger part of the weekend, which means birding time bonanza (tm) for me!

For some reason I suddenly felt inhibited by my monopod when I went out shooting last monday. I left it somewhere I could find it back and went handholding. That way, I shot the tit I posted. It felt wonderfull. I truly had the impression by the results that my handholding technique had improved. So tommorow I'll be going for the more mobile approach handholding again. I hope the light will nog work against me as it so often does.

I'm a mobile shooter, stalking my "pray". So sitting in a cabin hoping for some wildlife isn't my thing, however I'm contemplating on going to the lake nearby and giving it a go again. Found it pretty tedious and boring last time.

Mark

[Greg Beetham]

These are just for fun. While I was waiting at the supermarket the other day I thought I’d amble out of the parking lot with the camera, an Indian Mynah was kind enough to lead the way.
Greg
A100 KM24-105

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DSC03873.jpg (223.49 KiB) Viewed 4179 times

[mvanrheenen]

Looks like a pretty bird Greg. Big feet!

[Greg Beetham]

Those Mynah's are survivors, lots of people don't like them at all claiming they displace native birds and maybe they do I don't know myself, but they only hang around close to human population centres not out in the bush so I'm not sure which native birds they actually displace.
Greg

[mvanrheenen]

Are there lots of those birds in urban areas? Like pigeons in Amsterdam?

Reminds me of a situation in our part of town. We have heaps and heaps (and heaps!) of Jackdaw flying around, pestering every other species for food. Except for the other crow species, gulls and few herons, the other birds are really intimidated by them. They make a terrible ruckuss too, especially when flying in a group.

[Greg Beetham]

I got distracted by a TV program,
Those Jackdaws sound bad Mark; most of the crow and raven family are tough customers and smart. Where they do damage I believe is with nestlings and eggs of other bird species, the bird kingdom can be cruel at times, some must carry the tyrannosaur gene, no mercy, take no prisoners type of behaviour.
The Mynah bird is spread across town, everywhere you go there will be one or two of them not far away, they might not be immediately obvious but you can bet they will be around. They don’t travel in a large group or flock but they do have a weird sorting out time of about a week or so each year, then about 8 or 10 maybe get into a group, or more of a circle on the ground all facing in and making a fair bit of noise like some sort of pow-wow where they all talk at once and no one listening to anyone else….very weird. I think it’s about territories but I’m not sure, sometimes there are some physical beak to beak tussles as well and that is amazing to watch as they go around and around fluttering with beaks locked together; but after that short period where you see them in their ‘conference groups’ that’s it, they all disperse and you only see the odd one or two here and there again.
Greg

[aster]

This tread just keeps me hanging around, for more and more too. : )

Pat, JBTaylor, David and Greg; Just great shots all.

I keep wondering why we don't have any Finches of any sort but sparrows and doves at the window sills.

Greg, I would gladly share a window-shopping walk with your city-familiar birdie. He/she has a nice collar feathers for a necklace, too. : )

Pat, incredible 'seeing eye to eye' shot. Love it truly.

Thanks for sharing everyone,

Yildiz

[Wildieswife]

Thanks for the nice comments!

A particularly 'friendly' Robin. Only some side cropping of landscape shots. I had to stand back far enough for the 300mm to focus! Of course, Robins being Robins, he was just exploiting me for the food he knew I had. Robin style cupboard love At f4 ISO400 and 1/160







Pat

[jbtaylor]

Looks like food is the last thing it needs.
Nice and sharp.