Birds 2013

[mvanrheenen]

Another one I forgot from last monday.

Great egret (Casmerodius albus)



Mark

[Wildieswife]

I like that! It tells a story with the agricultural equipment in the background there.

Pat

[mvanrheenen]

I thought so too. It was sitting in a field when I startled some mallards I didn't see and it took off. Luckily I had my camera ready and took this shot.

Mark

[Greg Beetham]

I sort of like that shot of the Egret too Mark but is it a tad too bright? I would like to see a version with the brightness about half a stop less maybe...just to see.
Greg
ps I'm winging it at the moment, my no.1 computer blew the monitor today, something went pop and then a black screen so I'm using the backup while I figure out whether to fix the monitor on the first one or buy a new one.

[mvanrheenen]

I sort of like that shot of the Egret too Mark but is it a tad too bright? I would like to see a version with the brightness about half a stop less maybe...just to see.
Greg

Well, that's kind of my problem. My screens aren't calibrated, so I don't trust my judgement about color, WB, brightness etc. On the other hand, how many of my viewers are using calibrated screens..?

Here you go, the same image with -1,00 exposure in LR:



About your monitor: are you sure it's the monitor en not the graphical card or the memory?

Mark

[Greg Beetham]

I think that looks much better Mark, (more natural maybe) on my monitor anyway, I don’t think it’s calibrated any more than anyone else’s might be, as far as I remember the thing adjusted itself so it might be wrong too. The auto settings might be too bright maybe on this one...I don’t know I haven’t got the other one to compare now.
I took the box over to a computer store so they could run some tests and while I was there it was running on one of their monitors ok (with the onboard graphics). The Gigabyte card fizzled a while ago and it’s been running on the onboard graphics controller since. This morning I woke it from sleep mode and no display just a blank screen (the power light on the monitor was on though) and no mouse (not lit up or displaying a pointer on the screen) either for some reason.
After trying the reset button with no result I went over to the reserve computer and started using it, while I was doing that the monitor with no display went ‘pop’ and the power light went out so I’d say its game over for that one.
Funny thing though, previously to all this and for some time Windows error fixing notification service kept coming up with a problem to do with memory, it was the same message, that the memory wasn’t compatible with the processor and also the BIOS needed an upgrade, which turned out to be a Catch22.
I went to Intel and found a BIOS upgrade for that system board alright but it wouldn’t run, Windows said there was no whatever.exe (I forget the name) program that could run it?? So that was as far as I ever got with that boondoggle, I tend to lose interest at a certain point after being jerked around to a sufficient level, I’ve got better things to do.
Hmm maybe I should have endeavoured to persevere...
Greg

[Wildieswife]

I preferred the brighter one. Only an opinion, though. The way I would have attacked this would have been to reduce some noise and very slightly (an eansy weensy bit) burnt the top wing that looks a bit blown, but actually isn't. If noise software didn't work I would have created a mask, blurred it (using an action I made) and then erased the masque over the bird. I'll only do all this if I think the image is worth it. In this Northern hemisphere noise is a real problem at the moment - even with ISO 400. Roll on Spring!

Pat

[mvanrheenen]

Thanks for your manipulation insight Pat. This was actually taken at ISO 1600.

Mark

[Wildieswife]

My 'friend' She follows me about when I put out the bird food.

f4
ISO400
1/160sec
Slightly cropped.





Pat

[david antony]

Some really fine photos displayed by all for 2013.

Stole some time to have a go at the Snow Owls.
Got zilch but did luck out on the way to, with
this Horned Owl.

Boundary Bay, Delta, BC.

[Dr. Harout]

Not much from my side...
Both shots with a99 + Minolta 35-70/4 Macro

DSC00203 by Dr. Harout, on Flickr


Owls by Dr. Harout, on Flickr

[Wildieswife]

Snow owls. And more BOPS (Birds of Prey) . I must admit the latter BOPs look a little sad. Are they in cages?

Here's one of mine. I don't often take 'Feeder Shots' but my birds probably rely on us feeding them so this image is a true reflection.
Apart from feeding them they are free to come and go and we ask nothing other than to have the opportunity to photograph them.

I saved this image because it shows how very tiny the blue tit is and also how adeptly he holds the peanut in his talons. In photographic terms I hope to 'Tell a Story'.





Pat

[Greg Beetham]

Great portrait of your 'friend' Pat, I think it likes you.
Great finding the Horned Owl DA, I don't see too many Owls around here, they are around for sure but very hard to spot in the daytime.
Great subjects Doc. but it is kinda sad to see them in such conditions.
It's a wonder that something so tiny has the strength to peck into a hard peanut, or they might be a softer variety maybe, keep up the good work looking after them Pat, even such incredible survivors that members of the bird kingdom are can do with a little help now and then.
Greg

[Wildieswife]

It's a wonder that something so tiny has the strength to peck into a hard peanut, or they might be a softer variety maybe, keep up the good work looking after them Pat, even such incredible survivors that members of the bird kingdom are can do with a little help now and then.
Greg

They have help but I never interfere. The sparrowhawk comes down to feed his/her young whilst the other birds are raising theirs. The Magpie occasionally preys because she/he has young to feed, I've seen a magpie desperate for food and trying to prey on a young starling whilst the flock stand by. Nature can be 'cruel' but I can watch because this is nature. It is part of freedom. I would rather see a bird die in freedom than live in captivity.

Pat

PS I have, in my time, saved a variety of creatures but only because they've put themselves in my way. A Swift, a Swallow. a sparrow, a Woodmouse, and most memorably a Grey Squirrel - who we still talk about with very fond memories .

[Greg Beetham]

Yes Pat it's a great policy to not interfere, but I guess we (you and I) already interfere when we put some eaties out for them, but that is a good interference I think, it might help to counterbalence the previous interference by humankind (habitat destruction and introduced feral species) in some small way.
I haven't seen the Brown Goshawk for a week now, he must have got a fright when he saw me watching his hunting pursuits, little did he realize I wanted to have a quick word about the feral Pigeons that trample all the little birds out of the way that I've been feeding for 30 years prior to their arrival. I'm not sure if they are seed Vultures or just plain bird seed vacuum cleaners.
Now I'm thinking I might have to erect a few signs with large arrows, Pigeon entree ->, Pigeon a la carte ->, Pigeon smorgasbord ->
Brown Goshawks welcome.
Greg