She is a beauty, Adrianf! Well done with the female Kingfisher, and keep posting gems like that.
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Show your Bird Portraits
- Thread starter 1982chris911
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Yet another kingfisher in flight...
And yes, kingfishers are fast flyers. This one popped out in front of us, some 40 m ahead, skimming just above the tree tops. AI Servo worked nicely, helped by clear blue skies and not distracted by sparsely seen branches, but it was not easy to keep tracking the bird. 7D2 has BFB as custom focus function, set to all focus points.
Canon 7DMkII, 400/5.6 lens at 5.6, 1/2000s, +1 1/3 EV, handheld. 1:1 crop from just about centre, minor colour corrections and sharpening.
And yes, kingfishers are fast flyers. This one popped out in front of us, some 40 m ahead, skimming just above the tree tops. AI Servo worked nicely, helped by clear blue skies and not distracted by sparsely seen branches, but it was not easy to keep tracking the bird. 7D2 has BFB as custom focus function, set to all focus points.
Canon 7DMkII, 400/5.6 lens at 5.6, 1/2000s, +1 1/3 EV, handheld. 1:1 crop from just about centre, minor colour corrections and sharpening.
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Great shot, I have tried for some time to get images of these brilliant birds 
came within 2 metres of one perched looking over the river recently, gone before I could even get my camera up to eye level. Have since seen them the flying at speed in the same area, maybe I need a hide and patience.
Alan
came within 2 metres of one perched looking over the river recently, gone before I could even get my camera up to eye level. Have since seen them the flying at speed in the same area, maybe I need a hide and patience.Alan
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AlanF said:
No, these were taken at a bird sanctuary in the UK. I must say that they all look a bit fierce to me, enough to keep me at a healthy distance,
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Hopefully I haven't posted this Eurasian siskin - Spinus spinus - before. An old shot I found on my hard drive.
Sometimes I don't process all shots taken after being out. It makes for a few pleasant surprises when revisiting those folders later on.
Sometimes I don't process all shots taken after being out. It makes for a few pleasant surprises when revisiting those folders later on.
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The bird is fantastic. ISO whaaaat? Photo is very good. Did you shot it at 800mm ?Jack Douglas said:Pleasant surprise indeed, happens to me too. Yesterday, but again at ISO 8000 so not the greatest but I like the pose. Wish there was more variety around here!
Jack
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I envy your pileated (and the clarity at ISO 8000 from the 1Dx MkII), Jack. They are a lot funkier than our woodpeckers. I think most of that is due to what we see regularly loses some of its attraction.Jack Douglas said:Pleasant surprise indeed, happens to me too. Yesterday, but again at ISO 8000 so not the greatest but I like the pose. Wish there was more variety around here!
Jack
At this time of year what we have most are common sparrows, gulls, crows and ducks, so variety is nowhere as fancy as in May-August.
I'm lucky for living in an area that is frequented by so many species in the spring and summer. The southwest corner is one of the main entry/exit points for migrating birds and if I go there I could probably check another 100-200 species off my list.
If I could afford a proper birding book and a spotting scope, I should be able to ID more of what I encounter, but currently I have to make do with what I have. I've got 154 species identified and I'm far from getting into the famous "club 400".
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Thanks guys.
As you know this guy and his gal or sister or whomever visits me most days and I often don't bother since I have so many technically good shots of them but I'm always trying to understand how I might improve in other ways. So, now with the 1DX II and 400 X2 which will continue to be my bird combo almost exclusively, I have some more possibilities without having to be so close, and it helps.
I could scheme how to be closer and use the 300 lens but it's stored away for now anyway, until I decide if I should sell it. Less cropping means higher ISOs are feasible but still not desirable. These guys come almost always near sunset and hence the 8000 ISO.
There has to be a way we can swap birds - yes there is, it's called migration .... but some birds refuse to cooperate!
Jack
As you know this guy and his gal or sister or whomever visits me most days and I often don't bother since I have so many technically good shots of them but I'm always trying to understand how I might improve in other ways. So, now with the 1DX II and 400 X2 which will continue to be my bird combo almost exclusively, I have some more possibilities without having to be so close, and it helps.
I could scheme how to be closer and use the 300 lens but it's stored away for now anyway, until I decide if I should sell it. Less cropping means higher ISOs are feasible but still not desirable. These guys come almost always near sunset and hence the 8000 ISO.
There has to be a way we can swap birds - yes there is, it's called migration .... but some birds refuse to cooperate!
Jack
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AlanF said:
Hi Alan
They were taken at The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. They have a number of owls, eagles hawks etc. Well worth the visit.
David
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