I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

[StuartR]

I certainly didn't! I had to ask a couple of twitchers in the hide. I was there (Abberton reservoir) to photograph the wildfowl but caught a movement out of the corner of my eye and just had time to reposition and fire off four shots, two reasonable shots, one of its backside and one of an empty thistle!

50% crop @ 2,000 ISO so reasonably happy with the result.

After a few fruitless trips, I've decided that bird photography is not as easy as it looks...and my new Sigma 150-600mm C is not long enough, even on a crop-sensor . I've bought an adapter to use in my wife's Olympus OMD Em5 ii but she doesn't know about that yet.


And, yes, for those that remember me, I'm still alive..

Why is the picture on the post so large Ian? What have I done wrong?

[StuartR]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

Mmm, meant to put this on the critique board...really rusty..

[Garry]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

Most definitely. But my main photography is Birds.

This is the male...........I wont say what it is, as it will spoil the fun.

Superb shot.

[StuartR]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

And I thought it was the female after consulting my RSPB book! Thought the male's head was darker? It was in very bright sunlight mind.

Bird identification is even harder than bird photography I think! I see a flock of seagulls and the other guys in the hide identify 5 or 6 different birds. Mind you, they're using scopes and I'm looking through a 600mm lens @ f/6.3 wide open.

[Garry]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

And I thought it was the female after consulting my RSPB book! Thought the male's head was darker? It was in very bright sunlight mind.

Bird identification is even harder than bird photography I think! I see a flock of seagulls and the other guys in the hide identify 5 or 6 different birds. Mind you, they're using scopes and I'm looking through a 600mm lens @ f/6.3 wide open.

Male for sure.

[Ian]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

I think this is the right board - critique is really about commenting on the picture from a quality and technique point of view, even more so than the subject.

Now what this fella is - no idea, looks vaguely robin-ish, but I'm sure it isn't!

Ian

[crimbo]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

Well my first guess was wrong ...

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[Ian]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

The picture is 1600 pixels wide

Recommend 800-1000 pixels max for comfortable Web viewing.

I had to look it up, but all I can say is that it's an ideal subject bird for a forum!

Ian

[Gez]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

Could it be one of these perhaps,


#

[StuartR]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

Reckon it almost definitely is Gez! That's an interesting angle, gear up and wings closed!

[Garry]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

Most definitely the same species and another male.

What a super shot. Some info on the technique you used here, would be appreciated.

Photographing birds in flight is very difficult.

[Gez]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

Just a grab shot Garry. A small flock were in some bushes on the coastal path and as I watched, one flew up and hovered above the rest. Fortunately they did not notice me. Just lucky.

[jackknill]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

As a guess the first and last letters are consecutive!

[Garry]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

As a guess the first and last letters are consecutive!

We are on the same wave length. But I'll let the original poster say.

[StuartR]

Re: I wonder how many of you know what it is...without getting a bird book out!

We are on the same wave length. But I'll let the original poster say.

Yes, you're right. It's a Stonechat and, strangely for a country boy, I believe it's the first one I've ever seen! In truth I've probably seen loads and thought they were juvenile Robins or something [emoji5]

I've watched a couple of videos about bird photography today (on YouTube) and it was comforting to hear that the "Pros" were happy if they got just one or two good shots in a day.

Think I'll practice in the garden for a bit, I have a few feeders up and my garden office cam radio shack is an ideal hide. We get a surprisingly good variety of birds visiting our garden as we back on to open fields & scrubland.

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