Show your Bird Portraits

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks click and Graham. The Northern flickers are starting to show up more often now. There are literally dozens of juncos and the robins are everywhere feeding on berries before heading south.

Correction, this is the Red-shafted version. Not sure why the shafts are not very red!

Jack

 

[AlanF]

Nice shots Jack.

 

[AlanF]

Hi Alan.
Some very nice crops there, having more pixels on the target can never be bad can it?
I understand the tradeoff with speed, ISO vs file size, but don't focal length limited photographers appreciate pixels on the target?

Cheers, Graham.

We most certainly do appreciate more pixels, which is why I appreciate the 5DSR so much! There is a lot of talk about upgrading the 5DSR, but the current model is good enough for me.

 

[AlanF]

Jack, I see you are using 560mm. Because you are close or just easier to handle? They look plenty sharp to me.

 

[Vern]

Hi Vern.
Very nice shots, so if we provide a perch with less obstructions / better visibility is the kingfisher wrong to use it?
That heron looks like it got a good lunch!

Cheers, Graham.

Kingfisher and heron from recent beach trip. The Kingfisher only landed on the top of boat moorings, so not a great natural environment shot. 5DMKIV, 600II + 1.4XIII, ISO1250, f6.3, 1/200.

Hi Graham - yes, the bird clearly knows where to sit to catch his dinner and was uninterested in my desire for a 'natural' shot. I did try to set-up and catch him flying b/t perches, but this task was well beyond my skill and the AF abilities of the 5DMKIV (mostly me though, to be honest). If I had the chance again, I think I'd try handholding with just the 600 - or maybe a monopod.

 

[Click]

Very nice shot, Jack.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks guys.

Alan, there is definitely a reduction of AF capability going 800 if the light is marginal (back-lighting) and yes if I hope get a moving bird in the frame at close distance I need a looser frame. That's where your extra pixels come in handy. 560 beats my old 600 wrt AF. 400 is a killer for AF but it's 400, again cropping can help there as you know when you have the extra pixels.

For my needs 24-28 MP and 12 fps would have been much more ideal but 14fps is pretty addictive relative to stationary birds with subtle movements that produce different instantaneous poses. In that sense it serves a function not unlike cropping after the fact. Not sure if I posted this shot before but it illustrates that out of a long string of modest bursts only one had flying wood.

Jack

 

[dpc]

Thanks click and Graham. The Northern flickers are starting to show up more often now. There are literally dozens of juncos and the robins are everywhere feeding on berries before heading south.

Correction, this is the Red-shafted version. Not sure why the shafts are not very red!

Jack

Nice portrait, Jack!

 

[dpc]

Blackbird on my lawn two days ago. He was solo. They often come in flocks. He wasn't terribly nervous with me being around, either. I was able to walk reasonably close. 8)

 

[Click]

For my needs 24-28 MP and 12 fps would have been much more ideal but 14fps is pretty addictive relative to stationary birds with subtle movements that produce different instantaneous poses. In that sense it serves a function not unlike cropping after the fact. Not sure if I posted this shot before but it illustrates that out of a long string of modest bursts only one had flying wood.

Jack

That's a very nice shot, Jack.

 

[Click]

Blackbird on my lawn two days ago. He was solo. They often come in flocks. He wasn't terribly nervous with me being around, either. I was able to walk reasonably close. 8)

Very nice series, series, dpc. I especially like the 3rd picture.

Well done.

 

[AlanF]

Thanks guys.

Alan, there is definitely a reduction of AF capability going 800 if the light is marginal (back-lighting) and yes if I hope get a moving bird in the frame at close distance I need a looser frame. That's where your extra pixels come in handy. 560 beats my old 600 wrt AF. 400 is a killer for AF but it's 400, again cropping can help there as you know when you have the extra pixels.

For my needs 24-28 MP and 12 fps would have been much more ideal but 14fps is pretty addictive relative to stationary birds with subtle movements that produce different instantaneous poses. In that sense it serves a function not unlike cropping after the fact. Not sure if I posted this shot before but it illustrates that out of a long string of modest bursts only one had flying wood.

Jack

That's nothing Jack. Look at my Canadian Northern Flicker taken in Halifax NS.

 

[AlanF]

Marshtit - they are quite rare.I used the bare 400 f/4 on the 5DIV as quite dark.

 

[Click]

Lovely shot. Nicely done, Alan.

 

[AlanF]

Thanks Click. I love chancing on small birds.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi dpc.
That is a really nice shot, the iridescent colours of the bird are stunning, nicely done.

Cheers, Graham.

Blackbird on my lawn two days ago. He was solo. They often come in flocks. He wasn't terribly nervous with me being around, either. I was able to walk reasonably close. 8)

 

[Jack Douglas]

@ Alan - that's because Canadians are very obliging to visitors! All of these various captures involve skill and chance and there are usually ways and means of accomplishing a task if one is determined. The technology just helps.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks click and Graham. The Northern flickers are starting to show up more often now. There are literally dozens of juncos and the robins are everywhere feeding on berries before heading south.

Correction, this is the Red-shafted version. Not sure why the shafts are not very red!

Jack

Nice portrait, Jack!

Thanks and to click also. That blackbird is a gem. Now if we could get that guy with our yellow-headed together it would be very cool! Then there's our brown headed cowbird that given the right lighting could make an amazing threesome.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Marshtit - they are quite rare.I used the bare 400 f/4 on the 5DIV as quite dark.

V nice with lovely setting!

Jack

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Jack.
A couple of nice shots. Nicely done.

Cheers, Graham.

Thanks guys.

Alan, there is definitely a reduction of AF capability going 800 if the light is marginal (back-lighting) and yes if I hope get a moving bird in the frame at close distance I need a looser frame. That's where your extra pixels come in handy. 560 beats my old 600 wrt AF. 400 is a killer for AF but it's 400, again cropping can help there as you know when you have the extra pixels.

For my needs 24-28 MP and 12 fps would have been much more ideal but 14fps is pretty addictive relative to stationary birds with subtle movements that produce different instantaneous poses. In that sense it serves a function not unlike cropping after the fact. Not sure if I posted this shot before but it illustrates that out of a long string of modest bursts only one had flying wood.

Jack