Nuthatch

[Pol]

Visiting Nuthatch having a drink after raiding the peanut feeders. We haven't been seeing them for a few months so it's nice they've decided to come back again.

Pol

[Ian]

Re: Nuthatch

Nice one Pol - can hardly fault it

Ian

[Pol]

Re: Nuthatch

Nice one Pol - can hardly fault it

Ian

Thank you! That's cheered me up a treat. I've been having a prolonged and disappointed moan about having to 'make do' with the Sigma 170-500mm and third party lenses in general because there aren't any Pentax faster long lenses available.

Your Zuiko 90-250 f/2.8 is what set me off the other day.

Pol

[Ian]

Re: Nuthatch

Thank you! That's cheered me up a treat. I've been having a prolonged and disappointed moan about having to 'make do' with the Sigma 170-500mm and third party lenses in general because there aren't any Pentax faster long lenses available.

Your Zuiko 90-250 f/2.8 is what set me off the other day.

Pol

Err - it's not mine - it will have to go back one day, and it only equates to 180-500 compared to your equivalent (on the 10D) 255-750. But yes - I do enjoy super sharp f/2.8 (for now)

Ian

PS I have the EC14 1.4x converter making it a 252-700 f/4

[Pol]

Re: Nuthatch

Err - it's not mine - it will have to go back one day, and it only equates to 180-500 compared to your equivalent (on the 10D) 255-750. But yes - I do enjoy super sharp f/2.8 (for now)

Ian

PS I have the EC14 1.4x converter making it a 252-700 f/4

I'd guessed it probably wasn't yours permanently - but that doesn't stop me wanting one for myself.

It's also got David wittering on again about having an Oly too. He says he'll sell all his current kit, including all his scopes, so I can have the Oly and a selection of top lenses.

Oh aye ... and I was born yesterday, innit.

Pol

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Nuthatch

A great shot Pol. A very streamlined little bird. You are so lucky having the long lenses! Sounds like Ian puts the cat amongst the pigeons what 'o! Gets to test/use all the great stuff, turning everyone green!
With this photo Pol, I notice that there is perfect, sharp focus almost everywhere except under the beak, where focus is softer! This does not detract from the whole, merely an observation!

[Pol]

Re: Nuthatch

A great shot Pol. A very streamlined little bird. You are so lucky having the long lenses! Sounds like Ian puts the cat amongst the pigeons what 'o! Gets to test/use all the great stuff, turning everyone green!
With this photo Pol, I notice that there is perfect, sharp focus almost everywhere except under the beak, where focus is softer! This does not detract from the whole, merely an observation!

I know what you mean about the beak, I'd noticed that too. I have another shot from slightly further back and the beak is slightly sharper but I didn't care so much for the overall shot. They really are rather peculiar birds, almost reptilian in appearence when they're 'slithering' down a tree trunk or peanut feeder.

They drink in a similar way to a Starling - ie dip into the water, take a mouthful then tip their head back to let the water go down their throat. Fascinating to watch. the shot you see here is the one where it was in the process of tilting its head back to let the water run down it's throat.

As for long lenses and other kit ....... there's always something I fancy so it's just as well I'm a tight-fisted.

Pol

[lumix]

Re: Nuthatch

I know what you mean about the beak, I'd noticed that too. I have another shot from slightly further back and the beak is slightly sharper but I didn't care so much for the overall shot. They really are rather peculiar birds, almost reptilian in appearence when they're 'slithering' down a tree trunk or peanut feeder.

They drink in a similar way to a Starling - ie dip into the water, take a mouthful then tip their head back to let the water go down their throat. Fascinating to watch. the shot you see here is the one where it was in the process of tilting its head back to let the water run down it's throat.

As for long lenses and other kit ....... there's always something I fancy so it's just as well I'm a tight-fisted.

Pol

Hi Pol, That's a nice shot of a very nice bird. Have not seen any of those since I went to the New Forest many years ago. They were as common as sparrows down there. Regards the softness under the beak, could that be due to subject movement as the DOF looks good. What shutter speed was you using?

[Pol]

Re: Nuthatch

Hi Pol, That's a nice shot of a very nice bird. Have not seen any of those since I went to the New Forest many years ago. They were as common as sparrows down there. Regards the softness under the beak, could that be due to subject movement as the DOF looks good. What shutter speed was you using?

I think maybe the beak was moving slightly with that particular shot as the bird was having a good 'glug' daahn our local 'watering hole' at the time. The water is in a shady part of the garden and the best I could manage was 1/100 at F.6.7 and ISO 400. All the shots were handheld too - I was just inside the house with the patio door open. I miss too much if I'm using the tripod or even the monopod - can't swing myself around quickly enough.

I managed to get a few of the same bird on a peanut feeder but they weren't up to much so I binned almost all of them. I was lucky it decided to stop off for a drink as I was able to get better shots and also managed to close in on it a bit more before it took off.

I'm wondering if they might have a nest nearby as we're sometimes seeing two of them feeding at the same time. Here's one other shot of it at the water - taken from slightly further back. This was the one that was taken just a few seconds before the other shot.

Pol

[lumix]

Re: Nuthatch

I think maybe the beak was moving slightly with that particular shot as the bird was having a good 'glug' daahn our local 'watering hole' at the time. The water is in a shady part of the garden and the best I could manage was 1/100 at F.6.7 and ISO 400. All the shots were handheld too - I was just inside the house with the patio door open. I miss too much if I'm using the tripod or even the monopod - can't swing myself around quickly enough.

I managed to get a few of the same bird on a peanut feeder but they weren't up to much so I binned almost all of them. I was lucky it decided to stop off for a drink as I was able to get better shots and also managed to close in on it a bit more before it took off.

I'm wondering if they might have a nest nearby as we're sometimes seeing two of them feeding at the same time. Here's one other shot of it at the water - taken from slightly further back. This was the one that was taken just a few seconds before the other shot.

Pol

I think that's much better. Sharper for sure. 1/100 sec with that BIG lens is proof the IS works. I have found that with my 432mm lens at f2.8 I still get subject movement if the shutter is less than 1/300 sec. It's amazing how fast those little creatures can move.

[Pol]

Re: Nuthatch

I think that's much better. Sharper for sure. 1/100 sec with that BIG lens is proof the IS works. I have found that with my 432mm lens at f2.8 I still get subject movement if the shutter is less than 1/300 sec. It's amazing how fast those little creatures can move.

The Pentax in-camera IS certainly works - no doubt about that! It would have been virtually impossible for me to get anything handholding that huge bazooka lens at any speed before I got the new K10D with its inbuilt IS. It's nice to be able to use a less expensive lens, such as my Sigma 170-500, yet still be able to have the benefit of IS.

I'm not as steady as I'd like to be either - result of my various never ending back/leg/foot/arm injuries and weaknesses.


Pol

[coupekid]

Re: Nuthatch

Visiting Nuthatch having a drink after raiding the peanut feeders. We haven't been seeing them for a few months so it's nice they've decided to come back again.

Pol

Awww, thats sweet!

I have had to temporarily stop feeding the birds in my wildlife garden.

The wife put a saucer out with some seeds etc as a robin kept visiting.......then a bleedin great big brown rat scurried passed and on to the seeds and began nicking them all!

Needless to say, all feeders have now been emptied, and I have a mate coming round at the weekend to help me track it down and 'deal' with it.

[Ian]

Re: Nuthatch

Awww, thats sweet!

I have had to temporarily stop feeding the birds in my wildlife garden.

The wife put a saucer out with some seeds etc as a robin kept visiting.......then a bleedin great big brown rat scurried passed and on to the seeds and began nicking them all!

Needless to say, all feeders have now been emptied, and I have a mate coming round at the weekend to help me track it down and 'deal' with it.

A friend of ours is a self-employed pest controller - he's not far from you in Wokingham if you need a second opinion

Ian

[coupekid]

Re: Nuthatch

A friend of ours is a self-employed pest controller - he's not far from you in Wokingham if you need a second opinion

Ian

Thanks Ian, but dont worry, we'll have him!

I may take you up on that option when it gets warmer next year though, Jen is convinced we have a wasps nest by the bedroom window, but so I understand they evacuate when it gets colder.

[Ian]

Re: Nuthatch

Thanks Ian, but dont worry, we'll have him!

I may take you up on that option when it gets warmer next year though, Jen is convinced we have a wasps nest by the bedroom window, but so I understand they evacuate when it gets colder.

Julia's Dad was blessed with two HORNETS nests on his house this year

Ian