Show your Bird Portraits

[lion rock]

Jack,
We have pileated woodpeckers around the neighborhood, but can't see them too often.
You shot wonderful photos of them.
-r

Boy some lovely shots recently!!

Similar for me, I wasn't expecting this grand daddy to show up and 420 was too much but it does qualify as a portrait. No flash this time. Yes they really are this red and always amazing to watch, especially flying - I'm trying but this is all I have at the moment.

 

[Mario]

In my neck of the wood we have great spotted woodpeckers. This one is also taken in my garden.

Mario
http://severi.be/en
https://www.facebook.com/photographymarioseveri?ref=hl

 

[AshtonNekolah]

Family of four in the pour. shot with 100mm 2.8 Macro.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks, lion rock. They can be encouraged by a feeder even though they tend to be much more wary than say the Downy. I'm now noticing some consistency to the timing of their travels and am trying to be there more predictably as opposed to being caught off guard.

Birds are so heartwarming and beautiful as attested to by previous posted shots. Wish we had more variety up here in the winter!

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Fun day today with 100's of Bohemian waxwings descending on my crab apple tree and the ground underneath where all the snow has melted away (for Christmas in Edmonton, Alberta if you can believe it). Gluttons!

It took about 2 minutes for this berry to finally go down the hatch and I captured the sequence, here's roughly the beginning and end.

BTW, cdn_photog, thanks for the heads up on the Strathcona trail. I tried to reply to PM but was rejected.

Jack

 

[cdn_photog]

@ Jack - Great waxwing shots. Hope to see some eagle photos from you soon as well.

 

[Jack Douglas]

cdn_photog, thanks. I probably should remember where you are but old age ..... you know.

Can you add any information on the eagles. I'm pretty close to that trail but was unaware of it and no doubt many others since I'm a recent convert to bird photography. I'm not shocked but a little surprised. I assumed the odd one I've seen around here were strays from up north or out west. I'm planning a trip to Prince Rupert in May, hoping for a wonderful wildlife experience, including the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) and am thinking the 6D simply won't cut it on AF where there is action, but it's still good for practicing technique for now.

Jack

 

[Click]

Very nice series Jack. I especially like the second and the last picture.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks click, wish you could have sat through it all, pretty funny. So these guys eat huge amounts and strip all my trees at least, before January and then what do they eat? Must be slim pickins!

Jack

 

[AlanF]

You lucky guys surrounded by those birds. It's been rather disappointing around here. This afternoon was sunny and I managed to get some portraits of some common species with the 300/2.8 + 2xTC on the 5DIII.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Nice shots, Alan F - the grass isn't any greener on my particular side of the fence but those guys in Florida now that's another thing.

Down to novel attempts at chickadee flight shots with a 6D, pretty hit and miss but this one is passable. you can count on one hand what I see most days.

Jack

 

[Haphazard]

This guy was out in the middle of a marsh, on what I believe is a Wood Duck box, just getting some sun. Looked very posed, and I kind of liked the light.

 

[AlanF]

Nice shots, Alan F - the grass isn't any greener on my particular side of the fence but those guys in Florida now that's another thing.

Down to novel attempts at chickadee flight shots with a 6D, pretty hit and miss but this one is passable. you can count on one hand what I see most days.

Jack

Chickadees in flight! That is a challenge, Jack. Well done.
There is a preliminary account comparing the 300/2.8 + 2xTC with the 100-400 II + 1.4xTC. The 100-400 is almost as good on the 7D II and much better than the Mk I. I have one on order and will be using it to complement the 300 for walking/hiking. For your chickadees, the extra stop from the 300 will it preferable.
Alan

 

[Click]

This guy was out in the middle of a marsh, on what I believe is a Wood Duck box, just getting some sun. Looked very posed, and I kind of liked the light.

Lovely light. Very nice picture.

 

[AshtonNekolah]

There I was, sitting in my hide in my garden with 840 mm of telepower, all set and ready for small garden birds. What do you do when a sparrowhawk lands at 5.5 yards (might have been 5.7 yards ;-) ) from you ? You take a portrait !

Mario
http://severi.be/en
https://www.facebook.com/photographymarioseveri?ref=hl

Is this as is or with some sharpening applied? It's a super sharp shot.

 

[Mario]

Is this as is or with some sharpening applied? It's a super sharp shot.

It has a very slight amount of sharpening using the high pass filter method. But it was not really needed, the picture was already very sharp.

Mario

 

[AlanF]

Mario
That is a fantastic shot. The only opportunity I have ever had of a close up was in Fenway Park in the summer, when a red-railed hawk flew into a tree when I was strolling with my Tamron 150-600, which I had to use at 450mm.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Great shot AlanF, I assume you filled the frame or is there some cropping. Either way, very nice. We have red-tails but they never seem to come around my place, hardly ever any hawks to shoot other than high in the sky!

Would you say the 300 X2 is not getting the use it once did?

Jack

 

[Ryan85]

Nice shot

 

[AlanF]

Great shot AlanF, I assume you filled the frame or is there some cropping. Either way, very nice. We have red-tails but they never seem to come around my place, hardly ever any hawks to shoot other than high in the sky!

Would you say the 300 X2 is not getting the use it once did?

Jack

Jack
The 300 is my go-to lens - it is so, so good, and I use it at least a day a week here. But, it was easier to take the Tamron with me on the flights to Boston and then to Halifax Nova Scotia. Sold the Tamron on Friday in anticipation of the new 100-400, which will be easier still for travel.