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jmeyer

http://www.jeremymeyer.photography
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Dec 11, 2014
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jeremymeyer.photography
Is anyone on here close to Albany, Wyoming? There is currently a Red Flanked Bluetail being seen and photographed. The bird is from Siberia in summer and in the middle of the continent over there during winter. If anyone is and is interested in a location, message me and I'll give you more info. Thanks.

Jeremy
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Is anyone on here close to Albany, Wyoming? There is currently a Red Flanked Bluetail being seen and photographed. The bird is from Siberia in summer and in the middle of the continent over there during winter. If anyone is and is interested in a location, message me and I'll give you more info. Thanks.

Jeremy

Pretty bird! Wish I weren't here in the snow in Alberta. ;)
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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Jack, for you to cheer you up from the warm Ecuadorean Andes while you are now up to your neck in driven Canadian snow. A selection of Tanagers shot by wife using the 5DIV and her 100-400mm II. Lucky woman will be using the 90D +100-400mm II next week while I'll use the heavier 5DSR + 100-400mm II and probably the 1.4xTC as well in our birding trip to the Hula valley.

2B4A2980-DxO_flame-faced_tanager.jpg2B4A2760-DxO_golden_tanager.jpg2B4A2988-DxO_blue-winged_mountain_tanager.jpg2B4A2682-DxO_golden_naped_tanager.jpg2B4A2663-DxO_silverthroated_tanager.jpg
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
2,602
Alberta, Canada
Jack, for you to cheer you up from the warm Ecuadorean Andes while you are now up to your neck in driven Canadian snow. A selection of Tanagers shot by wife using the 5DIV and her 100-400mm II. Lucky woman will be using the 90D +100-400mm II next week while I'll use the heavier 5DSR + 100-400mm II and probably the 1.4xTC as well in our birding trip to the Hula valley.

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I guess I should clarify - about 2mm of snow as of yesterday, but regardless, it still looks white. Funny, wherever we went in Costa Rica, the popular draw for birds was bananas and of course they grow locally and aren't expensive to put out at the feeders. Overall, the local folks seem to be pretty keen on attracting birds and I think I know why. ;)

Gorgeous birds! Great photos of them.

Jack
 
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Walking around some local fields I saw one of the Kestrels hovering to my right and as I started to go that way, she dove. A moment later she came back up and flew back the direction I had just came from, landing on a side branch of a tobacco tree with a mouse. It took a bit to get some shots of her eating without the topmost branch in the way but after she was done, she hopped up on the top branch and did some preening/stretching just as the sun was dropping behind the horizon. Almost like she was showing off for me as she went through the whole routine twice and some of the stretches a couple more times.
SDR70044-X3.jpg

1DX MK II 600 f/4 II 1.4X III @840mm 1/500 : f/8 : ISO 1000
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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Walking around some local fields I saw one of the Kestrels hovering to my right and as I started to go that way, she dove. A moment later she came back up and flew back the direction I had just came from, landing on a side branch of a tobacco tree with a mouse. It took a bit to get some shots of her eating without the topmost branch in the way but after she was done, she hopped up on the top branch and did some preening/stretching just as the sun was dropping behind the horizon. Almost like she was showing off for me as she went through the whole routine twice and some of the stretches a couple more times.
SDR70044-X3.jpg

1DX MK II 600 f/4 II 1.4X III @840mm 1/500 : f/8 : ISO 1000
Good pose!
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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Staying on the beautiful campus of the Weizmann Institute in Israel, which is full of birds. They are pretty difficult to shoot but the 90D +100-400mm II was up to it. Palestinian Sunbird, Eurasian Jay, White Wagtail, White Spectacled BulBul, Indian Myna (ugh), Syrian WoodPecker and Rose-Ringed Parakeet made a nice haul on a walk.IMG_6055_palestinian_sunbird_1.jpgIMG_6058_palestinian_sunbird_portrait.jpgIMG_6082_jay_small.jpgIMG_6101_white_wagtail.jpgIMG_6036_white_spectacle_bulbul_s.jpgIMG_6109_mynah+s_small.jpgIMG_6124_syrian_woodpecker_small.jpgIMG_6195_rose-ringed_parakeet.jpg
 
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ISv

"The equipment that matters, is you"
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Apr 30, 2017
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Walking around some local fields I saw one of the Kestrels hovering to my right and as I started to go that way, she dove. A moment later she came back up and flew back the direction I had just came from, landing on a side branch of a tobacco tree with a mouse. It took a bit to get some shots of her eating without the topmost branch in the way but after she was done, she hopped up on the top branch and did some preening/stretching just as the sun was dropping behind the horizon. Almost like she was showing off for me as she went through the whole routine twice and some of the stretches a couple more times.
SDR70044-X3.jpg

1DX MK II 600 f/4 II 1.4X III @840mm 1/500 : f/8 : ISO 1000
Great posing from the bird! WHY, WHY not little bit sharper and you would make me cry!!! Even like this - lovely! Thanks!
 
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Is the lighting making it a challenge?

Jack

f/8 at 840mm was really my limitation and with her moving plus the breeze, I settled at 1/500th . At 35', I have about 2.5" of DoF to play with so I can focus further down the body and risk the eye being out or go for the eye on a 10-12" long bird. Based on the timestamp, this was taken about 14 minutes before sunset so lighting definitely added to my challenges. The image is the original height, though I converted to 8 x 10 to reduce a lot of the empty blue sky.
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
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f/8 at 840mm was really my limitation and with her moving plus the breeze, I settled at 1/500th . At 35', I have about 2.5" of DoF to play with so I can focus further down the body and risk the eye being out or go for the eye on a 10-12" long bird. Based on the timestamp, this was taken about 14 minutes before sunset so lighting definitely added to my challenges. The image is the original height, though I converted to 8 x 10 to reduce a lot of the empty blue sky.
The beak and eye are in perfect focus, and the somewhat oof of the tail and wings are acceptable to me and might even enhance it.
 
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Jack Douglas

CR for the Humour
Apr 10, 2013
6,980
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Alberta, Canada
The beak and eye are in perfect focus, and the somewhat oof of the tail and wings are acceptable to me and might even enhance it.
I agree. It strikes me as being very similar to my situation when I am stuck with a certain degree of back lighting and have to use a lower than preferred shutter. It's such a striking shot that I'm wondering if some work on the shadows and contrast wouldn't help. I'm learning some tricks as the years pass but certainly not commenting with significant expertise! ;)

Jack
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
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Aug 16, 2012
12,346
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Went round with the 5DSR and 100-400mm II + 1.4xTCIII today to compare. Stonechat, White Wagtail and White Spectacled BulBul. The light was very good but the small birds were distant. The parakeets at the end were at roosting time, but I got there earlier with better light as dusk came in and could use faster shutter speeds.3Q7A9885-DxO_stonechat-2ls.jpg3Q7A9928-DxO_white-spectacled-bulbul_60l.jpg3Q7A9936-DxO_white-wagtail-2ls.jpg3Q7A9982-DxO_rose-ringed-parakeet_eating.jpg3Q7A9989-DxO_rose-ringed-parakeet_eating_foot_mouth.jpg
 
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