Loggerhead Shrike/Grebe

Rohirrim

Hey guys,

Haven't had much time to post in this forum, busy, busy busy. Been trying to improve my bird photography by isolating my subject from the surrounding environement as well as working on better compositions etc.

All photos taken with the Canon 20D, Canon 500 mm f/4.0 with 1.4xTC, on tripod with Wimberly sidekick.

I hope you enjoy.

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[/SIZE] Loggerhead Shrike - Adult
Lanius ludovicianus
Washoe Valley, NV - 2006
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[/SIZE] Loggerhead Shrike- Fledgeling
Lanius ludovicianus
Washoe Valley, NV - 2006
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Not the greatest technically but I like this one for the behavior
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[/SIZE] Loggerhead Shrike - Adult feeding chick
Lanius ludovicianus
Washoe Valley, NV - 2006
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Taken from Canoe

[/SIZE] Clark's Grebe
Aechmophorus clarkii
Washoe Valley, NV - 2006
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Thanks for looking,

jwear

#3 we use different terms --mine action and captures are not always tech pecfect but that does not make the shot less great [new term:D ] this is why I go shooting to capture a moment great work but you did great work before you worked on your work welcome back Jeff

Osprey Whisperer

Looky what the bird dragged back to the nest. Long time no see Steve. Nice to see you back posting mighty fine pics again. Keep 'em coming.

ps. Next time you take such a long vacation..send that 500mm to me for a bit. :uhoh

Ric Grupe

Hey Steve,

Shots like these are going to end up costing me a lot of buck$!

So.....to keep peace with the bank account (and the accountant) could you post some of your failures.....

Got my eye on the 300mm f/2.8 and the TC's.

gluwater

Wow! Those are really great Steve. I've been wondering where you've been. You were great before but now these are......??whats better than great?? I don't know but you are it. Glad to see you back. Alright, 700mm from a canoe? I think I would be shaking to much from being nervous with a 500 in a canoe to get any sharp shots.

Rohirrim

jwear wrote:

#3 we use different terms --mine action and captures are not always tech pecfect but that does not make the shot less great [new term:D ] this is why I go shooting to capture a moment great work but you did great work before you worked on your work welcome back Jeff

Thanks Jeff, the action really are fun to shoot.

Rohirrim

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

Looky what the bird dragged back to the nest. Long time no see Steve. Nice to see you back posting mighty fine pics again. Keep 'em coming.

ps. Next time you take such a long vacation..send that 500mm to me for a bit. :uhoh

Thanks for looking Mike. I think I might just keep that 500 though! I think it would be too heavy to ship rofl

Rohirrim

Ric Grupe wrote:

Hey Steve,

Shots like these are going to end up costing me a lot of buck$!

So.....to keep peace with the bank account (and the accountant) could you post some of your failures.....

Got my eye on the 300mm f/2.8 and the TC's.

I looked at the 300 when I bought the 500. It was a hard choice, the 300 is reportadly the sharpest big lens. In the end the longer reach of the 500 was what made up my mind, and its still plenty sharp, even with the 1.4xTC on it. It does loose a little with the 2x converter, but this can be helped by stopping down some.

Rohirrim

gluwater wrote:

Wow! Those are really great Steve. I've been wondering where you've been. You were great before but now these are......??whats better than great?? I don't know but you are it. Glad to see you back. Alright, 700mm from a canoe? I think I would be shaking to much from being nervous with a 500 in a canoe to get any sharp shots.

Thanks for you comments Nick. Yep, it was a little hair raising with the 500 in the Canoe, you shoudl of seen me sweating when I was shooting ducks on my floating blind!

Harryb

Everyone is a winner

Thusie

Stunning shots Steve, you do raise the bar don't you, really nice

So THAT is the floating blind? Now I'm really impressed, nerves of steel:):

Rohirrim

Harryb wrote:

Everyone is a winner

Thanks Harry.

Rohirrim

Thusie wrote:

Stunning shots Steve, you do raise the bar don't you, really nice

So THAT is the floating blind? Now I'm really impressed, nerves of steel:):

Thank you Thusie. Yep thats the floating blind, though that float tube was borrowed, I bought a new one with a slightly different design today. Going to try it out tomorrow AM.

evil eggplant

I'm surprised we have never ran into each other, I live in Carson and shoot quite a bit in the Washoe Valley. Quite a few owls, eagles and hawks this spring.

Your pictures are great.

I also got a Clarks Grebe, but at 400mm. It's great to see the reach of the 500 with the TC. Very nice.

<aybe we'll run into each other sometime. With what you're shooting with, I don't think I'll miss you.

Here's my grebe, shot at 400mm and cropped quite a bit. This should make you feel pretty good

Cheers

Dick on Aruba

Very nice captures Steve and well exposed too.
I'm less in favor of (near) center compositions but nevertheless they great.

Thanks for sharing.

Dick.

dallas

Glad you're back Steve, showing us how is should be done........ Wow. Looking at your camera platform, its amazing you got anything but wet camera gear. I like them all very much, but is it possible to get more detail in the black, white, and red eyed Greb? A tall order I realize, one because they're hard to get close to, and two the broad range of exposure necessary.

Rohirrim

evil eggplant wrote:

I'm surprised we have never ran into each other, I live in Carson and shoot quite a bit in the Washoe Valley. Quite a few owls, eagles and hawks this spring.

Your pictures are great.

I also got a Clarks Grebe, but at 400mm. It's great to see the reach of the 500 with the TC. Very nice.

<aybe we'll run into each other sometime. With what you're shooting with, I don't think I'll miss you.

Here's my grebe, shot at 400mm and cropped quite a bit. This should make you feel pretty good

Cheers

Thanks for you input Evil. I usually shoot early weekday mornings from sunup till about 8AM, after that the light is just too harsh. Hope to see you out there sometime.

Rohirrim

Dick on Aruba wrote:

Very nice captures Steve and well exposed too.
I'm less in favor of (near) center compositions but nevertheless they great.

Thanks for sharing.

Dick.

Thanks for your input Dick, I agree the crops are a little tight especially on the calling shrike.

Rohirrim

dallas wrote:

Glad you're back Steve, showing us how is should be done........ Wow. Looking at your camera platform, its amazing you got anything but wet camera gear. I like them all very much, but is it possible to get more detail in the black, white, and red eyed Greb? A tall order I realize, one because they're hard to get close to, and two the broad range of exposure necessary.

Thank you for your input William, your a hard man to please . Those Grebes are very difficult to get good exposures with their pure white necks and chests and the pure black on the top of the head. I could probably use a little fill flash to try and get a little more detail in the blacks.