Birds 2013

[aster]

Mark, gorgeous shots! Welcome to your field of expertise and good to see the birds so close in their full glory.

David, neat composition and DoF as Mark pointed out. The little ones make a good team it seems paddling away from mother like that.


Valery, very sharp capture of the hawk. Lovely sky colour too. Rare find I must say, one I hope not seeing in Istanbul for all the concrete...



Uncle Gregory to the Rescue! Greg, that's a cute and fine story. You continue to be the uncle Gregory of all flying feathery creaures in your vicinity, both in your own yard and around the work place. The word must have gotten around that the birds can depend on you whether thay are hungry or lost.


Thanks for sharing everyone,

Yildiz

[Greg Beetham]

Nice catch Vallery, it reminds me of our Kestrel, it’s a very similar small bop like that one appears to be (boy don’t the Sparrows scatter when one of those show up).
Greg

Thanks Yildiz, DA and Birma, (uncle Greg good one Yildiz, I know you would do the same, any one of us would I’m sure)

[mvanrheenen]

Back again with some feathery goodness

I was actually stung a gazillion times at the small lake I made these. An insect macro enthousiast would have the perfect bait in me My feet and legs still itch!


Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr


Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr

[mvanrheenen]

Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr


Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr

[mvanrheenen]

I ran into this mother Common Pheasant and her 2 chicks. Really cool watchingt them bobble through the tall grass!


Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr


Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr

[mvanrheenen]

This Reed Bunting male never learned that talking while eating was rude


Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr


Common Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) by markvanrheenen, on Flickr

All shot with my A580, 70-400G on a monopod.

Mark

[Dr. Harout]

Mark, the second pheasants shot is superb.

[aster]

This one has been a very rich outing, Mark.
So many beautiful encounters with the feathery nation. I can't pick a favourite, they are all neat. The common pheasants, mother in the lead and chicks in pursit is a beautiful composition.

Love the rest of the naughty ones enjoying the reeds. Very witty.

Thanks for all of them though you went through some trouble with the mosquito type flies and insects it sounds.

Well worth it! Well done!


Yildiz

[Birma]

Fabulous results from your shoot Mark . I especially like the bunting and warbler shots clinging to the reeds, and the last pheasant shot. Great stuff. Sorry to hear about the insects, they can be a pain. "What do they eat when they can't get photographer" is something I often find myself thinking!

[Greg Beetham]

Great stuff Mark, I went through back and forth about four times and decided I like em all just about equally.
Greg
Ps you can include fishermen on the sand-fly diet as well, they are quite partial to photographers but fishermen taste good too, I’m sure they can turn the average arm or leg into Swiss cheese in no time and the varmints are half the size of a pinhead. I empathize Mark I know all about how irritating and itchy the bites are, I wouldn’t like them to evolve into something the size of a March fly.

[mvanrheenen]

Thank you all for the kind comments. I'm partial to the Pheasant and chicks too, although I always love a good LBJ shot!

My father always says that "it must be our sweet blood" that attracts all the bloodsucker our way. It does seem that between the two of us, he's the bloodsuckers' favorite.

@Greg: I do not envy fisherman for this. I can relate to the battle they must be fighting within: do I stay and better my odds for that big one or do I flee before getting eaten alive!

My problem is the vicious (no typo!) circle of any birder: good weather and bodies of water spawn insects by the gazillions. Birds breed around these places and eat the insects. The birds attract birders who are eaten by the insects ans thus we have a self sustainable ecosystem where the birds and insects are top predator and the birder is the equivalent of plankton

Mark

[ValeryD]

I ran into this mother Common Pheasant and her 2 chicks. Really cool watchingt them bobble through the tall grass!
..........

Super! I like this shots. Thank you for sharing.

[sury]

Great set Mark as usual. Love them all.

Sury

[Ken M]

[mvanrheenen]

Thanks Valery and sury!

@Ken: I tend to ask this question often with your images and I will do it again: what am I looking at?

Mark