Cattle Egrets

Harryb · August 22, 2005

Hi you all,

Until I shot a few at the rookery I never paid much mind to the cattle egret. They hang out at the wetlands because there's a cattle ranch next door.

They usually hang out in groups

If you are careful or have a long lens you can get close enough to isolate one

as soon as you spook one you spook them all

ginger_55 · August 22, 2005

Harry, I love cattle egrets, though I tried not to. I think of them as the comedians, at least the younger ones.

I love your LAST three shots, and am terribly impressed by the numbers!

I have never seen that many of any one kind of bird together anywhere!

Uh, I saw a shotgun camera yesterday. I am still in shock over the ability one would have to get action shots. That is one BAD camera!

ginger (Camera or not, those last three shots are really good, especially that last flight shot. I want a flight shot like that so bad.)

bfjr · August 22, 2005

I see were going for some muti BIF points, and ya done well :lol

I might of framed the 1st one a little different

:hide

the tight shots are your usual pristine work

All in all not a bad set even without an Osprey

:lol4

Harryb · August 22, 2005

ginger_55 wrote:

Harry, I love cattle egrets, though I tried not to. I think of them as the comedians, at least the younger ones.

I love your LAST three shots, and am terribly impressed by the numbers!

I have never seen that many of any one kind of bird together anywhere!

Uh, I saw a shotgun camera yesterday. I am still in shock over the ability one would have to get action shots. That is one BAD camera!

ginger (Camera or not, those last three shots are really good, especially that last flight shot. I want a flight shot like that so bad.)

Hey Ginger,

I have slowly come to appreciate the cattle egret. When I first got down here I usually ignored then because I didn't find them all that interesting.

They flock together in the wetland in the early morning and late afternoon before and after they go out to the cattle ranch in search of bugs attracted to the cattle.

The machine gun (02H) helps to get action shots but my old musket (D100) is still going strong. Two of the shots in this series including the flight shot were with the D100.

jwear · August 22, 2005

good group shots well i guess the singles are OK too

i have had a hard time ,no more than a hard time with bif group shots still not one that is any good --maybe the little birds are justt tooo fast and to hard to get a lock on

but maybe the d70 is not fast enough any ideas

ginger_55 · August 22, 2005

Harryb wrote:

Hey Ginger,

I have slowly come to appreciate the cattle egret. When I first got down here I usually ignored then because I didn't find them all that interesting.

They flock together in the wetland in the early morning and late afternoon before and after they go out to the cattle ranch in search of bugs attracted to the cattle.

The machine gun (02H) helps to get action shots but my old musket (D100) is still going strong. Two of the shots in this series including the flight shot were with the D100.

Harry, could you just say what lens you used to get that flight shot?

ginger

Harryb · August 22, 2005

ginger_55 wrote:

Harry, could you just say what lens you used to get that flight shot?

ginger

That was the 80-400VR at 400mm.

Dee · August 22, 2005

Neat
Perfect exposure, as per usual! You are getting too predictable... let's not get stuck in a rut now, How bout more pelicans!!!

Harryb · August 22, 2005

bfjr wrote:

I see were going for some muti BIF points, and ya done well

I might of framed the 1st one a little different

the tight shots are your usual pristine work

All in all not a bad set even without an Osprey

Thanks Ben. I would have included an osprey but they are getting a tad common. Everybody is shooting them these days.

Here's a recent osprey for ya.

bfjr · August 22, 2005

I'll see your Osprey and raise you the ugliest bird I know (no not a piccie of Me

)

david_h · August 22, 2005

Harry, like Dee said, you are getting predictable. Your shots are always fantastic, I always look forward to seeing them.

Those west coast guys are getting good as well - looks like the bird competition is hotting up

:

Harryb · August 22, 2005

I'll see your vulture

and raise you one eagle

Harryb · August 22, 2005

jwear wrote:

good group shots well i guess the singles are OK too i have had a hard time ,no more than a hard time with bif group shots still not one that is any good --maybe the little birds are justt tooo fast and to hard to get a lock on but maybe the d70 is not fast enough any ideas

Thanks Jeff. Actually I find a group of birds easier to shoot than a single bird. They are easier to lock focus on. I shot the group flight shot with the D100 and the 80-400, not the faster focusing combo on the block. I did step down the aperture to f9 for the shot. If stepping down the aperture lowers the shutter speed too much I'll bump up the ISO. What aperture setting have you been using for your shots?

ginger_55 · August 22, 2005

Ben that turkey bird, he is ugly, had a big disaster, lost part of his wing?

g

Harry, sorry finally noticed the tee tiny exif info, no please don't enlarge it, I will look for it from now on. thanks for lens info.

my birds are much bigger than that. They don't fit into a 400mm in any large numbers, if they did their clarity would be nothing like that.

You know I am getting John's butterfly lens. Scary, I could never get a shot like that. But I know the flock of birds would not fit in that lens either, not mine.

I was thinking wide...................??? But if you used a 400, maybe my new lens will do magic! (If I can find a flock of birds, smile)

ginger

Harryb · August 22, 2005

Dee wrote:

Perfect exposure, as per usual! You are getting too predictable... let's not get stuck in a rut now, How bout more pelicans!!!

Thank you Dee. If I posted pelicans you would want egrets.

There's just no pleasing you.

Harryb · August 23, 2005

david_h wrote:

Harry, like Dee said, you are getting predictable. Your shots are always fantastic, I always look forward to seeing them.

Those west coast guys are getting good as well - looks like the bird competition is hotting up

Thanks David. The west coast contigent is doing some fantastic work. Hopefully they will be able to keep up the pace. You can't be sure. I find it hard to trust folks who put pineapple on their pizza.

and keep electing actors as their governor.

Harryb · August 23, 2005

ginger_55 wrote:

Ben that turkey bird, he is ugly, had a big disaster, lost part of his wing?

g

Harry, sorry finally noticed the tee tiny exif info, no please don't enlarge it, I will look for it from now on. thanks for lens info.

my birds are much bigger than that. They don't fit into a 400mm in any large numbers, if they did their clarity would be nothing like that.

You know I am getting John's butterfly lens. Scary, I could never get a shot like that. But I know the flock of birds would not fit in that lens either, not mine.

I was thinking wide...................??? But if you used a 400, maybe my new lens will do magic! (If I can find a flock of birds, smile)

ginger

I'm sure you will enjoy the new lens. John did pretty well with it.

bfjr · August 23, 2005

Harryb wrote:

I'll see your vulture

and raise you one eagle

OK OK you won this Hand!!!

But the game ain't over not by a long shot :lol4

Steve Cavigliano · August 23, 2005

Niceeeeeeeee Harry

I'm with Ginger. I really love those lil cattle egrets

Maybe it's because I've never seen one to shoot

But I sure like their coloring and their wispy head feathers

Good work on these

You can keep that butt-ugly vulture though

Steve

Harryb · August 23, 2005

Steve Cavigliano wrote:

Niceeeeeeeee Harry

I'm with Ginger. I really love those lil cattle egrets Maybe it's because I've never seen one to shoot But I sure like their coloring and their wispy head feathers

Good work on these You can keep that butt-ugly vulture though

Steve

Hey Steve,

I'm beginning to like the cattle egret. The hardest part of shooting them is getting to isolate one as they usually in a group.

I kind of like that vulture. He has character.

Rohirrim · August 23, 2005

Lovely shots. Those last 3 are especially nice

thumb

Harryb · August 23, 2005

Rohirrim wrote:

Lovely shots. Those last 3 are especially nice thumb

Thak you very much Steve.

Osprey Whisperer · August 23, 2005

Cattle egrets? I don't see any horns...boy.

Nice shots Harry.

Ben...what are you doing cutting wing tips off ....AGAIN? Is that a Nikon thing?

I think we'll have to dock you $1.00 every time you post a chopped wing photo. Shame on you. Toss that TC...man. :uhoh

BMP

Harryb · August 24, 2005

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

Cattle egrets? I don't see any horns...boy. Nice shots Harry.

Ben...what are you doing cutting wing tips off ....AGAIN? Is that a Nikon thing? I think we'll have to dock you $1.00 every time you post a shopped wing photo. Shame on you. Toss that TC...man. :uhoh

BMP

Thanks Mike and don't pick on Ben. He's pretty cool for a west coaster.

Osprey Whisperer · August 24, 2005

Harryb wrote:

Thanks Mike and don't pick on Ben. He's pretty cool for a west coaster.

so.....you are saying he's not HOT like us Floridians..eh?

BMP

Khaos · August 24, 2005

Very nice Harry. I love the isolated shots.

jwear · August 25, 2005

Harryb wrote:

Thanks Jeff. Actually I find a group of birds easier to shoot than a single bird. They are easier to lock focus on. I shot the group flight shot with the D100 and the 80-400, not the faster focusing combo on the block. I did step down the aperture to f9 for the shot. If stepping down the aperture lowers the shutter speed too much I'll bump up the ISO. What aperture setting have you been using for your shots?

f8 and if i use a higher iso on the d70 'well you know they really need to just add a 100 to the 200 and that is alll the camera can use 'Higher iso does not work on the d70 unless the light is great and you do not need it

I have one i will post when time comes my way .Sunday i will give group a try and work on it thanks for info

lynnma · August 25, 2005

Just had to comment that it makes me laugh that all you guys in this forum are either birds or horses.. except ginger that it...

Harryb · August 25, 2005

Khaos wrote:

Very nice Harry. I love the isolated shots.

Thnaks. Those two shots are my favorites.

Harryb · August 25, 2005

lynnma wrote:

Just had to comment that it makes me laugh that all you guys in this forum are either birds or horses.. except ginger that it...

I'm glad you are amused. You might remember i used to have my own pic as my avatar until somebdoy changed my profile from "super moderator" to "bird brain". I felt that a new avatar was needed to fit the change. And Ginger at one time had a bird too.

I may be going with a gator soon. I find that it's closer to my mood than a pelican. :lol

Osprey Whisperer · August 25, 2005

lynnma wrote:

Just had to comment that it makes me laugh that all you guys in this forum are either birds or horses.. except ginger that it...

It's because we're always horsing around...and often times VERY FOWL.

BMP

Cattle Egrets

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