# Early Morning Birds



## SCraig (Nov 9, 2013)

I got to Old Hickory Wildlife Management Area just as the sun poked its way through the trees this morning.  A bit of fog, a bit of cloud, a lot of sunrise.







The Ring-Billed Gulls are starting to make their annual migration into this area.











A Great Blue Heron contemplating the fog hanging over his feeding area.






Until I got just a a wee bit too close for his comfort


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## Judobreaker (Nov 9, 2013)

First shot is sooo awesome! Really love the morning colors.


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## sm4him (Nov 9, 2013)

I agree with Judo--I like the birds, but I just LOVE that first shot! Just beautiful, Scott!


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## SCraig (Nov 9, 2013)

Thanks guys.  I agree, not so much about the photograph but about the fact that it was a gorgeous scene.  I went over there hoping to follow a Bald Eagle to a point where I could get some good shots, but as soon as I opened my car door I saw him headed down the lake and out of sight.  Then I happened to notice the sun coming up through those trees and I just sat there and stared at it for a few minutes.  I finally came to my senses and got my camera out for a couple of shots.  I could have just sat there and stared at it all day I think.


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## cbarnard7 (Nov 9, 2013)

Excellent job, Scott. The first and third are the best IMO! Just looking at the first one makes me hear crickets in the background, the small ripples make me think "chilly but calm." Nice!


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## robbins.photo (Nov 9, 2013)

All of them are outstanding with the possible exception of #2 - looks like the shutter speed was just a tad bit too low on that one.


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## SCraig (Nov 9, 2013)

cbarnard7 said:


> Excellent job, Scott. The first and third are the best IMO! Just looking at the first one makes me hear crickets in the background, the small ripples make me think "chilly but calm." Nice!



Thanks, but no crickets this morning!  Chilly but calm is a lot closer.  It was about 30 degrees when I got there.  Warmed up pretty quickly though and was in the 40's when I left.


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## SCraig (Nov 9, 2013)

robbins.photo said:


> All of them are outstanding with the possible exception of #2 - looks like the shutter speed was just a tad bit too low on that one.



Thanks, I appreciate that.  I actually prefer some motion blur in the wings when I shoot birds in flight, it makes it look less static to me.  But I think some of that is depth of field. It was shot at 1/500 second which is normally plenty fast for gulls.  Not a lot of DOF at 500mm and f/6.3 though


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## robbins.photo (Nov 9, 2013)

SCraig said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > All of them are outstanding with the possible exception of #2 - looks like the shutter speed was just a tad bit too low on that one.
> ...



Lol.. it's always a trade off isn't it.  I use a 300 mm 4.5-5.6 myself so it's always tough trying to keep the shutter speed fast enough but not too fast and when you throw aperture on top of that it can be tough trying to get just the right settings in time to still get the shot.


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## oldhippy (Nov 9, 2013)

Nice. Really like 1. Number 4, looks like it was posed. My wife, and daughter are on their way to Nashville for a week. Daughter just moved there. MIL passed away at our home, last Sunday. Good time for wife to do a getaway. Hope to get down your way myself sometime. Would love to hookup and take a few pics. Later Ed


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## SCraig (Nov 9, 2013)

robbins.photo said:


> Lol.. it's always a trade off isn't it.  I use a 300 mm 4.5-5.6 myself so it's always tough trying to keep the shutter speed fast enough but not too fast and when you throw aperture on top of that it can be tough trying to get just the right settings in time to still get the shot.



It's definitely a trade-off every time.  Especially early in the morning.  I normally shoot in manual mode for situations like that because I never know if I'm going to be pointing up at the sky, down at the lake, or toward the woods at the sides.  Plus, the light is changing rapidly that time of day.  That shot of the gull was taken at 7:05 this morning and the sunrise shot was taken at 6:27 so it was getting lighter all the time.

It's a lot of fun though.  I enjoy the challenge of shooting them in flight.


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## SCraig (Nov 9, 2013)

oldhippy said:


> Nice. Really like 1. Number 4, looks like it was posed. My wife, and daughter are on their way to Nashville for a week. Daughter just moved there. MIL passed away at our home, last Sunday. Good time for wife to do a getaway. Hope to get down your way myself sometime. Would love to hookup and take a few pics. Later Ed



Thanks, Ed.  #4 was certainly not posed.  That Heron was over in some weeds near the edge of the lake and got annoyed when I walked up.  He flew over there on the other side of the road and sulked for a while so I went over there and made him fly away again 

Sorry to hear about your mother-in-law.  My condolences to your wife.  It is difficult, I've been there myself.

Absolutely when you get down this way give me a shout.  Lots of interesting spots around here for photography.


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## robbins.photo (Nov 9, 2013)

SCraig said:


> oldhippy said:
> 
> 
> > Nice. Really like 1. Number 4, looks like it was posed. My wife, and daughter are on their way to Nashville for a week. Daughter just moved there. MIL passed away at our home, last Sunday. Good time for wife to do a getaway. Hope to get down your way myself sometime. Would love to hookup and take a few pics. Later Ed
> ...



Aha.. so, put yourself through college training wild birds to pose did you?  Lol


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## SCraig (Nov 9, 2013)

robbins.photo said:


> Aha.. so, put yourself through college training wild birds to pose did you?  Lol



If I could do that I could save myself a whole lot of effort chasing the critters all over the place to get a decent shot!  I walked the same piece of real estate 4 times this morning because every time I got remotely close to a Kingfisher he would fly to the place I had just left.  Ever heard a Kingfisher laugh?  I have!


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## oldhippy (Nov 9, 2013)

I guess my reference to posing , was not to clear. I meant to imply, that the image looked like a museum display. I meant it as a compliment .  Later Ed


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## baturn (Nov 10, 2013)

Enjoyed all the photos but especially the GBH in the fog. Funny, I usually prefer in flight shots. Any how, I can fully empathize with the Kingfisher troubles. There's a pair here that do the same to me.


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## SCraig (Nov 10, 2013)

oldhippy said:


> I guess my reference to posing , was not to clear. I meant to imply, that the image looked like a museum display. I meant it as a compliment .  Later Ed


No worries, thanks Ed.  I appreciate the compliment.



baturn said:


> Enjoyed all the photos but especially the GBH in the fog. Funny, I usually prefer in flight shots. Any how, I can fully empathize with the Kingfisher troubles. There's a pair here that do the same to me.


Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed them.

Fog always seems to add something to a photograph.  I've got a lot of shots of Herons, both in flight and standing, and I do prefer this one over a lot of them.

Kingfishers seem to be my nemesis right now.  I've got a few shots of them but nothing I really like.  Maybe they are the same everywhere but around here they are very shy and will fly as soon as they see a person getting remotely close to them.  They usually don't go far, normally to another nearby tree, but this one yesterday was playing with me.  I honestly covered the same path four times, and each time he flew he let out this call that sounded exactly like a laugh.


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## NancyMoranG (Nov 10, 2013)

#3 is perfect! Wow, worth the early rising and cold temps to get a shot like that!!
Nancy


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## annamaria (Nov 10, 2013)

Love 1, 3 and 4, especially number one.


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## SCraig (Nov 10, 2013)

NancyMoranG said:


> #3 is perfect! Wow, worth the early rising and cold temps to get a shot like that!!
> Nancy


Thanks!  I'm glad you like it.

It's not a bad price to pay.  I love this time of year.  I hate hot weather and I love cold weather so now is when I start to come alive again.  I've had a lot of back and hip problems the past couple of years and after a summer of physical therapy and exercise I'm finally getting where I can enjoy get out and walk around again.


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## SCraig (Nov 10, 2013)

spanishgirleyes said:


> Love 1, 3 and 4, especially number one.



Thank you!  I normally don't shoot sunrises or sunsets, I just watch them and enjoy them.  In this instance I just couldn't let it pass though


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## DaveStephan (Nov 11, 2013)

Very nice shots.... 

I want to share a bird photography tip with all -


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## MiFleur (Nov 11, 2013)

My favorite is  no. 3, this stump in the water and the interaction between the two seagulls makes it the most interesting of the series IMO.
I love the dramatic mood of no.1 but think that the shadows on the water that make a black line all the way down draws too much attention, I would either try to lighten it a bit or crop more of the image on the right side, I think that the detail in this image that draws my attention is the tree leaning over the water but it seems a little far away!


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## SCraig (Nov 11, 2013)

MiFleur said:


> My favorite is  no. 3, this stump in the water and the interaction between the two seagulls makes it the most interesting of the series IMO.
> I love the dramatic mood of no.1 but think that the shadows on the water that make a black line all the way down draws too much attention, I would either try to lighten it a bit or crop more of the image on the right side, I think that the detail in this image that draws my attention is the tree leaning over the water but it seems a little far away!



Thanks for the input.  I'll take a look at that, you may be right.


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## coastalconn (Nov 11, 2013)

SCraig said:


> Kingfishers seem to be my nemesis right now.  I've got a few shots of them but nothing I really like.  Maybe they are the same everywhere but around here they are very shy and will fly as soon as they see a person getting remotely close to them.  They usually don't go far, normally to another nearby tree, but this one yesterday was playing with me.  I honestly covered the same path four times, and each time he flew he let out this call that sounded exactly like a laugh.



Oh how I know that feeling!  The Kingfishers are the same here with that taunting call.  It sounds like they are just laughing hysterically...  



DaveStephan said:


> Very nice shots....
> 
> I want to share a bird photography tip with all -
> 
> View attachment 60017


Maybe you have a tip for making Kingfishers pose?


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## matthewo (Nov 11, 2013)

Your best bet for good kingfisher photography is find a perch they frequent, setup your blind so you can pretty much fill the frame.

I have seen some pretty detailed kingfishers on perches, they are all blind shots.  Sometimes you got to take 3 or 4 hours of waiting.

I got that kwik camo on order, im hoping to try it out on a king fisher once i find a perch they use, i can get close to


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## SCraig (Nov 12, 2013)

coastalconn said:


> Oh how I know that feeling!  The Kingfishers are the same here with that taunting call.  It sounds like they are just laughing hysterically...


I hate that laugh ;(  This one Saturday was PLAYING with me!  The second (or third or fourth) time he flew he perched in a tree across the lake from me.  There is a walking trail running right by the tree, and I watched several people walk along it and he ignored them.  Yet when *I* trudged all the way around the end of the lake and walked down the SAME trail he waited until I got close and flew (again!) giving that wicked laugh.  There really should be a law against that kind of behavior.  It's cruel and unnatural.





matthewo said:


> Your best bet for good kingfisher photography is find a perch they frequent, setup your blind so you can pretty much fill the frame.
> 
> I have seen some pretty detailed kingfishers on perches, they are all blind shots.  Sometimes you got to take 3 or 4 hours of waiting.
> 
> I got that kwik camo on order, im hoping to try it out on a king fisher once i find a perch they use, i can get close to



I think I'll just wait and steal your shots.  They are always better than mine anyway.  (just kidding, of course)

One of the reasons I enjoy birds and wildlife is that it forces me to walk.  I've had a lot of back and hip problems the past few years and it finally got to the point that I couldn't walk from my car to my office without severe pain.  I'm just now getting back to the point that I can get out and do things so I force myself to walk as much as I can on weekends.  Even so the places I go right now aren't off the beaten path so it's easier to get back to my car if I have to because it still hurts.  A LOT!


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