Grey Catbirds

IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
edited June 28, 2011 in Wildlife
I believe these two are mates. Blah background on the female. The BG for the male is nicer, and you can see his red belly, which is cool, but he moved and his head is blurred. Their feathers have such interesting structure. I love these confident birds. There's a nest with chicks in a nandina bush beside my a/c unit, and the mother will let me part the branches and look in while she sits. There are three chicks. I haven't tried to photo yet. I don't want to distress the parents.

Female
i-x7bTcTh-XL.jpg

Male
i-wS7dDnQ-XL.jpg
John :
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.

Comments

  • Wicked_DarkWicked_Dark Registered Users Posts: 1,138 Major grins
    edited June 23, 2011
    we've had pairs of them around the house for years and they've become one of my favorite birds. Great mimics - I can tell what else is in the yard just by what they sing. And they're so interesting to watch, always up to something. Great shots of both. One of these days I've got to get a decent long lens. Oh and some patience.
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  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 24, 2011
    I mis-sexed the two birds. The second is the female. There are virtually no differences between sexes in Grey Catbirds, but I noticed this particular male has a bit of beige at the base of his bill, and the female has not. I know it's the female, 'cause she's the only one that sits on the nest. And I know he's the mate, having seen them together too much. Here's the female on the nest, and a shot of the chicks.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 24, 2011
    Good decision not to disturb the chicks. Two well composed captures. On #2 you could have increased the ISO from 500 to 800 in order to increase your shutter speed.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • MdocMdoc Registered Users Posts: 29 Big grins
    edited June 24, 2011
    Very Sharp, detailed and great color.
    My photos are only worth one hundred words :-)
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 24, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    Good decision not to disturb the chicks. Two well composed captures. On #2 you could have increased the ISO from 500 to 800 in order to increase your shutter speed.

    Yeah. I had been metering constantly, and thought 1/500 would have done the trick. I wasn't taking into account how close I was with that cannon. With an effective focal length of 750mm, ANY angular change, you're screwed when your subject is only about 15 feet away. Live and learn.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2011
    Two nice images..I really like the sharp eye contact in the first one.
    Stephen
    www.capture-the-pixel.com

  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited June 28, 2011
    Thanks, Stephen. These catbirds are very friendly. I think they'd engage me in conversation if we spoke the same language. They do seem to look me right in the eye, and it doesn't seem to be only a threat assessment.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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