Show your Bird Portraits

[AlanF]

Buzzard. Stopped the car on a country road this afternoon seeing it perched on post a fair distance away. Fortunately, I had the 5DS R with 400mm DO II + 2xTC next to me and got in a few shots. f/8, 1/1000s, f/8 and iso 640, 100% crop. Light was excellent.

 

[serendipidy]

Buzzard. Stopped the car on a country road this afternoon seeing it perched on post a fair distance away. Fortunately, I had the 5DS R with 400mm DO II + 2xTC next to me and got in a few shots. f/8, 1/1000s, f/8 and iso 640, 100% crop. Light was excellent.

Great capture, Alan.

 

[serendipidy]

A couple of BCN Heron closeup head shots. In the 2nd photo, you can see the anatomy of the bird's iris.
BCN Heron by Eric Johnson, on Flickr
BCN Heron by Eric Johnson, on Flickr

 

[Click]

Nice pictures, Eric.

 

[serendipidy]

Nice pictures, Eric.

Thanks, Click.

 

[AlanF]

A couple of BCN Heron closeup head shots. In the 2nd photo, you can see the anatomy of the bird's iris.

They're what I call close ups! Well done.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Very nice Alan and Eric. I don't think there is anything alive here other than downies and chickadees.

Jack

 

[serendipidy]

Thanks Alan and Jack.

 

[sedwards]

Elvis reincarnated

 

[Click]

Elvis reincarnated

;D

Another very nice shot, Stuart.

 

[serendipidy]

Elvis reincarnated

There is a bit of resemblance, but that is one weird looking duck ;D Nice capture.

 

[serendipidy]

Heron dinnertime
BCN Heron with tilapia fish by Eric Johnson, on Flickr
BCN Heron with tilapia fish by Eric Johnson, on Flickr

 

[AlanF]

Eric, how did you get so close? Herons are usually skittish? Beautiful close ups.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Alan.
Very nice shot of the Buzzard, I see them around here like that but it is usually unsafe to stop in the area due to the busy nature of the narrow roads.
Regarding Eric's close ups. If I remember correctly, you become their fishing partner, throwing food which brings the tilapia (pest species?) to the surface and the heron takes advantage of this. Quite a special relationship to foster.

Hi Eric.
As Alan says some fabulous shots, did you say you just bought a 7DII or was that me misreading and it was a 7D?
I see that the shots you have shared are with a 7D (from Flickr exif) is that because you are still getting to grips with the MKII AF system?

Cheers, Graham.

Eric, how did you get so close? Herons are usually skittish? Beautiful close ups.

 

[serendipidy]

Eric, how did you get so close? Herons are usually skittish? Beautiful close ups.

Hi Alan,
I live on a small canal/drainage ditch that connects to a brackish lake. The canal has fish (mostly tilapia) and waterfowl such as Hawaiian mallard ducks, Hawaiian coots, moorhens. Several heron have made this area their fishing spot. I would occasionally feed bread to the fowl and fish.

About 5 years ago, this heron (we named him Harry on CR ;D) was attracted to the commotion of the fish splashing around for the bread. Over time, we developed a fishing partnership that got to the point that everyday he would come to my house and sit on the fence by my window for hours until I came out and got him some fish. If I didn't come out quickly enough, he would sit for hours making loud squawking noises. Harry has been gone for several years but has been replaced by a number of other herons (relatives or friends?) that I have conditioned to fish with me.

So, I don't approach them, they wait for me everyday and approach me. Harry used to come within 2 or 3 feet and sometimes got so close I was concerned about his pointed beak and my safety. These herons now will only approach within about 4 feet, but I sometimes can get a little closer by moving slowly. Harry was a pro at fishing with me, but his replacements are amateurs and I waste a lot of bread trying to get them some fish. Now there a 3 adult herons and one juvenile who come almost daily. Yesterday, one heron has started sitting on my roof and walking on my solar panels which I don't like. The herons fight over the fishing spot now and try to chase one another if they get too close to one another.

There is an aggressive gang of about 12-15 ducks that hang out in the area waiting for the feeding to start. They have no fear of the herons and are so quick to eat all the bread, even within inches of the heron, that the herons have little chance to catch a fish now. So I try to wait till the ducks are a little ways away, but they somehow know and within minutes arrive and spoil everything.

 

[serendipidy]

Hi Graham,

Yes, I got a new 7D2 last month and a new 100-400mmL II earlier this month to replace my 7D and 100-400mmL I. I usually upload my keepers to FLICKR and then post them from that site to CR. I took a break from posting for a while and so was catching up by posting some photos taken with my old 7D. I am almost caught up now to where everything posted soon will be taken with my new 7D and 100-400.

Cheers,
Eric
PS-Best wishes for a healthy and Happy New Year

 

[candyman]

Eric, how did you get so close? Herons are usually skittish? Beautiful close ups.

Hi Alan,
I live on a small canal/drainage ditch that connects to a brackish lake. The canal has fish (mostly tilapia) and waterfowl such as Hawaiian mallard ducks, Hawaiian coots, moorhens. Several heron have made this area their fishing spot. I would occasionally feed bread to the fowl and fish.

About 5 years ago, this heron (we named him Harry on CR ;D ) was attracted to the commotion of the fish splashing around for the bread. Over time, we developed a fishing partnership that got to the point that everyday he would come to my house and sit on the fence by my window for hours until I came out and got him some fish. If I didn't come out quickly enough, he would sit for hours making loud squawking noises. Harry has been gone for several years but has been replaced by a number of other herons (relatives or friends?) that I have conditioned to fish with me.

So, I don't approach them, they wait for me everyday and approach me. Harry used to come within 2 or 3 feet and sometimes got so close I was concerned about his pointed beak and my safety. These herons now will only approach within about 4 feet, but I sometimes can get a little closer by moving slowly. Harry was a pro at fishing with me, but his replacements are amateurs and I waste a lot of bread trying to get them some fish. Now there a 3 adult herons and one juvenile who come almost daily. Yesterday, one heron has started sitting on my roof and walking on my solar panels which I don't like. The herons fight over the fishing spot now and try to chase one another if they get too close to one another.

There is an aggressive gang of about 12-15 ducks that hang out in the area waiting for the feeding to start. They have no fear of the herons and are so quick to eat all the bread, even within inches of the heron, that the herons have little chance to catch a fish now. So I try to wait till the ducks are a little ways away, but they somehow know and within minutes arrive and spoil everything.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. I enjoyed reading it and pictured myself all the things going on there. Hope you continue to share your photos and new developments at your site.
Wonderful photos.
Have a nice holiday!

 

[serendipidy]

Eric, how did you get so close? Herons are usually skittish? Beautiful close ups.

Hi Alan,
I live on a small canal/drainage ditch that connects to a brackish lake. The canal has fish (mostly tilapia) and waterfowl such as Hawaiian mallard ducks, Hawaiian coots, moorhens. Several heron have made this area their fishing spot. I would occasionally feed bread to the fowl and fish.

About 5 years ago, this heron (we named him Harry on CR ;D ) was attracted to the commotion of the fish splashing around for the bread. Over time, we developed a fishing partnership that got to the point that everyday he would come to my house and sit on the fence by my window for hours until I came out and got him some fish. If I didn't come out quickly enough, he would sit for hours making loud squawking noises. Harry has been gone for several years but has been replaced by a number of other herons (relatives or friends?) that I have conditioned to fish with me.

So, I don't approach them, they wait for me everyday and approach me. Harry used to come within 2 or 3 feet and sometimes got so close I was concerned about his pointed beak and my safety. These herons now will only approach within about 4 feet, but I sometimes can get a little closer by moving slowly. Harry was a pro at fishing with me, but his replacements are amateurs and I waste a lot of bread trying to get them some fish. Now there a 3 adult herons and one juvenile who come almost daily. Yesterday, one heron has started sitting on my roof and walking on my solar panels which I don't like. The herons fight over the fishing spot now and try to chase one another if they get too close to one another.

There is an aggressive gang of about 12-15 ducks that hang out in the area waiting for the feeding to start. They have no fear of the herons and are so quick to eat all the bread, even within inches of the heron, that the herons have little chance to catch a fish now. So I try to wait till the ducks are a little ways away, but they somehow know and within minutes arrive and spoil everything.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story. I enjoyed reading it and pictured myself all the things going on there. Hope you continue to share your photos and new developments at your site.
Wonderful photos.
Have a nice holiday!

Thanks, candyman
Seasons Greetings and Happy New Year to you also.

 

[AlanF]

Thanks for the interesting story Eric. You have a good copy of the 100-400mm, mine was rubbish, unlike the Mk II.

 

[serendipidy]

Thanks for the interesting story Eric. You have a good copy of the 100-400mm, mine was rubbish, unlike the Mk II.

Hi Alan,
I think it is absolutely terrible that any company selling a product would not make certain that every copy was of sufficient high quality to satisfy their customers, especially such an expensive product.
Eric