B.O.D. 2/2/05 + bonus pic
Hi you'll,
Today's bird is a little bit smaller than the past BODs. He's the Pied-Billed Grebe. His length is 12-15 inches with a wing span of 22 1/2 inches. I've been trying to get a decent shot of one these suckers for awhile but they are very shy and when they spot you they just duck under the water.
Harry
Today's bird is a little bit smaller than the past BODs. He's the Pied-Billed Grebe. His length is 12-15 inches with a wing span of 22 1/2 inches. I've been trying to get a decent shot of one these suckers for awhile but they are very shy and when they spot you they just duck under the water.
Harry
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!"
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!"
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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!"
I was trying to come up with a smartass response to the "bonus" feature and came up empty.
Two fine pics.
Lots of duck looking critters floating on the water
I guess you have to be really patient to get some of these birds... they see you coming and duck and swim away? Almost as bad as the big white bird that used to haunt you.
http://www.twitter.com/deegolden
The great blue herons I have shot along the Wabash river seem to have a spook radius of almost 100 yards - get closer than that and boom- they launch and are gone. Even when you approach them slowly in a drifting boat.Makes it very hard to get nice frame filling images.
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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!"
Patience is a must. If you remember my "go dunk your head" pic, I hung out with that egret for close to an hour waiting for him to do something that would make a good shot.
Sometimes you just luck out and they are so engaged in looking for food that you can get a few shots off before they notice you and head for the exits. A lot of the fun in this kind of photography is in the "hunt".
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!"
The Viera Wetlands are a series of connected man made ponds created to treat waste Between the ponds are raised dikes with an unpaved one way road. I get most of my shots from my car window. The birds will feed and hunt along the shores of the ponds and you shoot down at them from a few yards away (if they tolerate your presence).
The different birds have different reactions to your presence. The Little Blue, Green and Tricolor herons are very shy and will take off as soon as they notice you in the immediate area. The egrets are much less shy and will usually hang around until they see you getting out of the car. The most tolerant are the Great Blue Herons. The problem I had yesterday was them being too close. I just got my Nikon 1.4 tc so I was shooting with it and my 300mm/f4. This one Great Blue was just a few feet from my car and I had too much reach. I got this shot by leaning all the way back in the car and shooting from the passenger side through the driver's window. As soon as I got out of the car to step back he fllew off.
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!"
I understand using your vehicle as a blind. That's too easy. Lots of wildlife has figured out that cars are not worth worrying about, but the moment you open the door - bingo "I'm outa here!"
Makes me wonder if an old used beat up van with a side door or window might make a useful tool. You could even use a tripod on the floor of the van perhaps. A cheaper accessory than some long telephotos!!
I have thought about covering my boat like a duck hunter for floating on the Wabash just for this reason.
Thanks for your response, Harry.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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!"
Where I took those photos yesterday, they are very difficult. You all are right, cars drive by, kids ride their bikes, but I walk up with a camera, ONTO the grassy area, and fly away, fly away bird.
The great thing about that camera, which I must say makes a loud klunk, I thought it would spook the bird, but it didn't. Maybe it is a noise in a decibel range I hear well. But the great thing is that I can catch the flying bird with the camera. Just too exciting there. Then I had problems as it got dark and I really didn't know how to set my camera. Got some great shots. Too bad they are all black. That dog don't hunt, as I think they say somewhere around here, and it was my worst lens.
I changed the first photo. I was tired, having trouble in every way with the PC, and I put up the wrong one. I wish I had been closer to that bird, he had a fish that made some photos just look gross. But he did wash it before "trying" to eat it. I think he did, too.
But, Harry, I am sorry for talking all about myself. I really like the "wetland" shot, I would take more of them, while waiting for birds. How many, how big and how fast are your CF cards.
ginger (I can't use the car as a blind, it is a paved rd with traffic, not fast, but constant, and there is a distance factor. I can't drive up on the grass, this is not that type of place. I have other people's driveways I park in, set my camera, then try to sneak in at least one shot. Yesterday, I think that fish was just too good for the bird to give up. Besides, I sat as low on the wet ground as I could.)
Your marsh is awesome. Hang a hammock between a couple of those trees and you've got yourself a Florida shooting blind :lol
Thanks for sharing these,
Steve
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!"
Hey Ginger,
I've been pretty busy too today. I like the wetland shot better too but its so much easier to take, The wetlands just stay in place.
Enjoy your new camera, just don't get flustered by the learing curve. I'm lucky because the wetlands are just a perfect place to take bird shots. Its a lot easier than what you have to contend with. I only have 2 one gig CF cards (40x speed) but I also have a Wolverine tahts a 40 gig portable hard drive. When one CF card gets filled up I put it in the Wloverine and download the files while I shoot with the other card. When the second card gets filled up it goes in the Wolverine and I go back to the first card.
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!"
Hey Steve,
Glad you liked the pics. I've been taking pics of those darn grebes for months now and this is the first one I didn't delete. They are tough buggers to shoot. As soon as they spot you the go under and you can't guess where they will surface.
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!"