Birds 2012

[mvanrheenen]

#4 Former Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

Probably got caught and eaten by a Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus). I saw one or two today, which seem to live on the edge of the woods, not far from where this shot was made. The missus and I saw a parakeet get caught by a Sparrowhawk once. Not a pretty sight I can tell you.



After the few hours of birding, I find the 70-300G a very capable lens. Only thing I noticed is it tend to display more CA then the 70-400G wide open. And the Focus Limiter switch feels a bit flimsy. Other than that, it's light and combined with the BlackRapid RS7 strap, you hardly noticed it was there.

The binoculars are homemade by the Netherlands Society for the Protection of Birds, of which I am a member. I don't have any experience with these kind of optics, but I'm really impressed with the brightness and magnification of the piece. It was really annoying having to switch to the dark VF of my Sony dSLR If only the binoculars could have a sensor and shutter

Mark

[mvanrheenen]

Oh, and by the way. A few posts back I told about how difficult composing wildlife shots is for me. Well, I tried my best today and was able to make one decent composition of a Song Trush which was making a lot of different sounds.

#5 Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

[Argonaut]

I'm with mvanrheenen - "ordinary" Black Cockatoos indeed. My life's ambition is to swap homes for 6 months with an Australian just so I could get down and dirty with the wildlife there....

Anyway, here are another 3 photos from Tanzania. The Wood-Owl was perched high and with a sunny background. I had to boost the shadows and tone down the sunny spots as best I could with Lightroom to get a glimpse of his/her face. 400mm Sigma APO Macro, f5.6, 1/100, ISO 1600.

The Openbill was shot in late dusk, and it's a dark bird, so I just gave up and made it into a silhouette. The open bill part makes it a bit more interesting. 400mm Sigma, f5.6, 1/2000, ISO 800.

The sunbird was a garden bird at the lodge, but it's still darn small and flitty. 400mm Sigma, f11, 1/250. ISO 1600.

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[Greg Beetham]

I’m enjoying all the shots Mark and Argonaut, good find of the Chiffchaff Mark that’s got one of those ‘what was that one?’ LBJ’s sorted out. The Woodpecker sure is a pretty bird.
I agree with the sentiment about the binoculars being able to take a photo, which would be marvellous, I have an 80mm spotting scope and you can get a pretty good view through that also, but it’s not as handy as binoculars.
And it is a shame when you see a bird get taken by a raptor but that’s life I guess, I only ever saw one and that was a Rainbow Lorikeet (one of a pair) flying across my line of sight in their usual way, very fast, but not fast enough for a 300km/h Peregrine that smashed one out of the sky, I think it was dead before it hit the ground bouncing in a puff of feathers, meanwhile the Falcon was washing off speed with a swooping circuit of the kill area, turning in too scoop up it’s kill, it was all over in a few seconds. That Falcon was travelling so fast (you would have too not see it yourself to believe it) I didn’t even see it coming, I only saw it as a blur (seriously, the Parrot visually at first seemed too just decide to nose dive into the ground in a graceful arc) just after the impact and during its high speed breaking manoeuvre, it only just managed to avoid hitting the ground itself from the point of impact maybe 30-40 feet up and that was only because it was travelling at approx 45deg to the ground.
I like your Owl and silhouetted Openbill Argonaut, the Sunbird is very nice indeed it’s very similar in style too ours but completely different in colour scheme.
Greg
Ps btw sorry guys I wasn’t implying the Black Cockatoo was ordinary, only my attempts too photograph it were.
Good light and plenty of birds too you all.
A100 KM24-105

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[Argonaut]

[quote="Greg Beetham"] ... the Sunbird is very nice indeed it’s very similar in style too ours but completely different in colour scheme.

There are a two bird families where there are dozens of species but only one has made it down to Oz: sunbirds and bee-eaters. They're all gorgeous. In Africa you just can't keep up with all the sunbirds.

[aster]

What can I say?!

I greet all the last entries to the thread with humility. What a beautiful bunch and variety from al ove rthe World, guys!

Thanks for sharing. I love them all.

Yildiz

[aa los banos]

as usual, awesome collections of photos here!

[Birma]

Great to see the continued stream of birds from around the globe

While walking through a small town on a Saturday afternoon I've seen a sparrow hawk take a starling from a flock preparing to roost. Although not a peregrin, just as you say Greg, it all happens so fast you only realise what has happened when you play it back in your mind.

On binoculars; I keep a small pair in my back pack (useful to help spot the route ahead in the countryside) and had always had cheap pairs. One birthday (I must have been very good!) my wife bought me a Leica pair - wow - makes the ordinary sets seem like looking through the bottom of coke bottles. I hope I never find out how much they cost ( ).

[Argonaut]

Continuing the Tanzania trip: the African Pygmy Kingfisher was a tough shot. We couldn't get very close, so it's highly cropped. The best way to get the water-loving kingfishers is in a boat, the quieter the better, but in a boat they don't scare so easily - I've come up within a few feet of many. This one was in the woods, so in addition to being far away, it was in the shade. Sigma 400, f11, 1/80, ISO 1600.

The Yellow-throated Sandgrouse was, typically, out in the sun. I took the photo from the safari van, and like a boat it didn't scare the bird off. Sigma 400, f9, 1/1250, ISO 800.

The Lilac-breasted Roller is *everyone's* must have photo. And, there are enough of them sitting out there - you just have to get one close to the road. This one is sitting next to a singing Rufous-naped Lark. My caption would be, "You talkin' to me???" Sigma 400, f13, 1/1600, ISO 800.

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[Greg Beetham]

Great stuff Argonaut, Kingfishers are very difficult too approach I think because of their exceptional eyesight, you really need a hide located near their favourite branch like ‘Kingfisher’ used to do, but of course you can’t do that on a safari and in any case a forest type kingfisher might not have a particular favourite branch anyway. I remember once I stopped on the side of the highway (the phone rang) and noticed a tiny Forest Kingfisher arrive and perch on a low twig in a large tree about 25 metres away, it was too far for any worthwhile shot the bird being so tiny, but what impressed me was it flew down into the long grass about 20 metres away from the perch and back to the same perch with a small green grasshopper in it’s beak, how it could see that amongst all the grass is/was amazing, so I concluded there was very little chance that it wouldn’t notice me trying to get closer.
I like the Sandgrouse, good shot on a difficult subject that blends into the background so well.
Wow that Roller is really something compared to the one here (called Dollarbird) the Lark seems to be saying showoff!
Greg
Ps I think in my entire time with digital I only have snapped a Kingfisher once, out of the kitchen window when the house next door was getting built, I only noticed it visit once, it’s one of the more plain coloured ones, a Collared Kingfisher I’m fairly sure and I think it’s a juvenile, that box section is 1” square and the photo is cropped a bit.
A100 KM18-200

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[mvanrheenen]

I love those Kingfishers argonaut and Greg. They are truly a beautiful and richly colorful family of birds!

The grouse image is really good to the eye argonaut. Real sharp that one. Was it dificult to take in the (what seems to be) harsh light? I can see why Lilac-breasted Roller is a must-see/must-shoot for bird lovers, although I would go for the Lark too!

Mark

[aster]

Imagine that!
A Kingfisher from Greg. : ) I like the rare colours of your kingfisher, Greg.


Argonaut;

Like is Greg's kingfisher, your African piymy kingfisher and its violet-blue-yellow plumage is all new to me. What a rare sight!

Your chatting birds are no exception. I don't see different species sitting next to each other often. Lilac-breasted roller is one I never saw this close and the Sandgrouse has a beautiful spotted plumage.

You have captured some extraordinary frames. Thanks for sharing.

Yildiz

[Greg Beetham]

Great to see the continued stream of birds from around the globe

While walking through a small town on a Saturday afternoon I've seen a sparrow hawk take a starling from a flock preparing to roost. Although not a peregrin, just as you say Greg, it all happens so fast you only realise what has happened when you play it back in your mind.

On binoculars; I keep a small pair in my back pack (useful to help spot the route ahead in the countryside) and had always had cheap pairs. One birthday (I must have been very good!) my wife bought me a Leica pair - wow - makes the ordinary sets seem like looking through the bottom of coke bottles. I hope I never find out how much they cost ( ).

C'mon c'mon Birma give us photo of the Leicas so I can drool a little bit, I really like Binocs, I was just browsing through the list of Binocs on the B&H website and noticed the Leica ones kaf kaf, your wife must like you LOTS, if your thinking price think of a reasonable number, then double it, then add the time and the date for good measure.
Greg
Ps I think these little 'beep beep' birds are my favourites
A100 KM100-300apod

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[mvanrheenen]

C'mon c'mon Birma give us photo of the Leicas so I can drool a little bit

As Doc would say: +1!

I really like Binocs

Me too since I have one!

Ps I think these little 'beep beep' birds are my favourites

I was expecting an image of Road Runner. That's the only 'beep beep' bird I know

Mark

[aster]

Birma, I'm surprised that you kept the Leicas hidden from us.

Let us see what they can do for the enthusiasic photographer?



Greg, an other nice shot, this time of the Zebra Finch. : ) Does he really beep?



Yildiz