Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: What was that? on April 16, 2010, 10:40:01 AM

Title: Cornucopia of feeding, snakes and crayfish versus the birds
Post by: What was that? on April 16, 2010, 10:40:01 AM

Okay, maybe common birds, but I've never seen it so close and personal.

Humber Bay (Wed 14 Apr, 2010).
Ringbill dove into water, and then landed close to me. Dropped something on the grass and backed off. On further inspection, I saw this (crayfish)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525977272/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525977272/)  -- fresh out of the water.
I backed off and the ring bill waddled over to perform for me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525976174/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525976174/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525975242/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525975242/)
Notice anything missing from one frame to another?
Here they are.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525974422/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525974422/)


Col Sam Smith Park, Mon 12 Apr, 2010)
Am. Robin landed in some bushes close to me with something in its beak. Not a worm, but a small snake.
Thrashed it about for a while (too close for easy focus (500mm cat))
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525980616/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525980616/)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525979764/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525979764/)
And the finale...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525979078/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39167841@N06/4525979078/)

Wow, what a week for me.

Graham

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Post by: Moira on April 16, 2010, 12:29:36 PM

Great work Graham.  Isn't it great when you get to witness nature close up!  I looked thru your Flikr pictures - your flowers and close-up pics are sensational.  I really enjoyed browing thru these and your landscapes as well.  Can I ask what lens you use for these?

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Post by: What was that? on April 16, 2010, 09:07:56 PM

Thanks Moira, your encouragement is most welcome.
 I feel that my main attribute (amongst very few:), is that I take LOTS of pics (around 40k in 2 years). Many times I see a picture but can't express it, and I get sSOOO frustrated with that. However, with taking so many pics, some of them work at my level. I only post a few of the best (relevant to birding mainly, plus a few more), makes me seem better than I am. The more I take, the better my eye and ability to compose. Plus getting out a lot helps.

Most of my wildlife pics were taken with either a Sony 500mm CAT lens (lightweight, but fixed aperture, f8) or a 70-300mm Sigma (DON"T buy one, it broke on me 7 times in 20 months, I lost many weeks usage, eventually they (Gentec, the Sigma distributors in Canada) refunded me the purchase). I went out and bought a Sony 18-250 (brillant, reduced my lens changing several fold). Never had problems with any other lens (Sony or Tamron).

My landscapes and closeups were usually taken using the Sony kit lens 18-70mm (now retired).

Also recently got a Tamron 60mm macro (f2), so hopeully my macro will improve and I should post some.

BTW, I also do a lot of ballroom photography (dancing being my main love), and some fantasy post processing (favourite is one of my wife and I looking into a crystal ball, with an image of us dancing).
Should you be bored, here is a link to some I took at a recent comp (I don't compete).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48676465@N05/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48676465@N05/)
Graham.

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Post by: Niloc on April 17, 2010, 12:48:12 AM

Graham nice work. wonderful captures with the gull!

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Post by: denis on April 17, 2010, 09:46:09 AM

great work graham

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Post by: What was that? on April 17, 2010, 09:03:28 PM

Thanks Colin and Denis, two of the few members I know I have met (Brickworks being the common thread).

Graham.

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Post by: Anonymous on April 18, 2010, 11:37:33 AM

Nicely shot Graham, great job.