# My best bird shots



## Invisodude (Feb 15, 2010)

New here, weather is horrid this time of year but thought to introduce I'd just post a few of my favorite bird shots from the past. C&C always welcome.


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## iAstonish (Feb 15, 2010)

The fourth one is awesome.


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## Don Kondra (Feb 15, 2010)

That is some nice work, looking forward to More...
 :cheers:

Don


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## Hybrid Designz (Feb 15, 2010)

I love them all actually. But if i had to cc one i would say the last pic is too dark for my taste. but everything else looks very nice! can we see some more? any birds of prey?


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## Augphoto (Feb 15, 2010)

The fourth one *is* awesome!


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## Mango (Feb 16, 2010)

Great photos, I love #1 and #3!


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## randallone (Feb 16, 2010)

good work nce variety


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## Santa Gertrudis (Feb 16, 2010)

I've wanted to capture a humming bird for quite some time now. Very cool shot! All of them look great! I agree with Hybrid Designz about the last one though. It's not dark enough to make it bad, but lightening it up a little would make a world of difference I think.


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## Invisodude (Feb 16, 2010)

Hey thanks for all the feedback much appreciated 

I agree, the last needs some fill light in the shadows, I took that a few years ago when I got my first DSLR, I don't think I kept the original RAW file, back then I didn't even know how to edit things properly. If I do have it, I'll try to brighten the shadows up 

Hybrid: I think I have a few osprey shots, but been very unlucky with hawks and eagles dern it!

Colin: That was my best hummer shot, most are of them sitting on or at the feeder, and I agree, those guys are tough, they usually show up after sun down when it's kinda dim out, so hard to get a fast shutter speed. I envy those people who have them in the bright light drinking on a cool flower, that's my dream shot of one


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## anmar (Feb 16, 2010)

The fourth one but good work on all.


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## matfoster (Feb 16, 2010)

for me , 4 & 5. excellent.


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## HikinMike (Feb 16, 2010)

I really love those Cedar Waxwings (#4)!


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## Invisodude (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the comments 
If I see that cedar again, I'll let him know he's won the popularity contest ;-)


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## Battou (Feb 16, 2010)

The fourth one, A ceder waxwing. A very tough bird to get, they do not seem to be fond of feeders and prefer to perch at high points in the trees. Well spotted and captured.


I my self have only one sucessful shot of a ceder waxwing despite their being relatively common here during the summer months.


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## Invisodude (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks for looken 

I got lucky with that guy, he landed ina small berry producing tree in our yard, about 15 feet away, while I was standing there with my Camera in hand! Like "thank  you!" lol

That's a good shot you got too, it's weird how birds are different in different areas, around here, I can usually walk up about 15 or so feet to cedars and robbins, but starlings book it when I'm 50 feet away.


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## Battou (Feb 16, 2010)

Invisodude said:


> it's weird how birds are different in different areas, around here, I can usually walk up about 15 or so feet to cedars and robbins, but starlings book it when I'm 50 feet away.



Yeah it is, I was atleast seventy feet from that cedar waxwing....The only birds around here that allow me to get within thirty feet are the house sparrow, Dark eye Junco and on rare occasions the common robin. There is one ringbilld gull that seems comfortable enough around humans to let me get close, I playfully call him Dukat. I can't say the same for his friends though, they find another place to be the moment I break the treeline into the parkinglot.

You want to talk about birds that head for the hills....I can't get within three hundred feet of an American bald eagle....

We have a breeding pair that live here in town along with several others just outside of town and It does not matter what one I find, they seem to be finishing up and leaving the moment I spot them. I usually spot them way out of range for my 400mm so even if I take off at a full run they won't be there by the time I get there.

The blue heron is another one I chase around town, even if I set up the blind and wait, I come up empty.


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## Invisodude (Feb 16, 2010)

wow that is so amazing, I wonder if it's just the type of recreation near these birds so they get used to people or something. It's like were the complete opposite of you. Sparrows I have to hide and wait for, if they see me the whole flock takes off like that movie 'the birds'. But herons I can get pretty close to here, same with gulls. Heck, gulls I've hand fed before. In December we get lots of bald eagles here, I can get about 30 feet from them but their always up in a tree so can't get a good shot. Plus it's usually freaken cold, snowing and dark grey weather. 

sounds like you have some cool birds there, guess you need a 2000mm F4 zoom eh? lol

Hey, this bird let us get close last year, we think it's a yellow headed black bird, do you know if that's right? This guy I was about 25 feet from so I could have  a decent angle since he was in a tree


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## Ta-graphy (Feb 16, 2010)

That last aves is quite the photo, for me its hard following the bird while its in flight, my focus isnt fast enough :/ 

we're you panning your camera following the bird through your viewfinder? or just shot it right as it took flight?


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## Invisodude (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks much, I was panning and got several shots. None I thought were super good but good enough to stick on flickr, Here is him a few seconds later (actually 3 exactly if  you check the exif )while I was still panning and following him. 

do  you use a DSLR? If you set it for multipoint and continuous focus  the camera will keep up pretty good as long as there aren't a lot of trees and such.


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## Invisodude (Feb 16, 2010)

Battou: I looked for a couple old shots where I got really close to a GHB, the one I blew out his jaw in the hot sun but it was cool to be within 15 feet of  him taking pics. Ours seem to be tamer by boat docks rather then off in the more wild area. It's almost like they expect humans to be around.


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## Battou (Feb 16, 2010)

Invisodude said:


> wow that is so amazing, I wonder if it's just the type of recreation near these birds so they get used to people or something. It's like were the complete opposite of you. Sparrows I have to hide and wait for, if they see me the whole flock takes off like that movie 'the birds'. But herons I can get pretty close to here, same with gulls. Heck, gulls I've hand fed before. In December we get lots of bald eagles here, I can get about 30 feet from them but their always up in a tree so can't get a good shot. Plus it's usually freaken cold, snowing and dark grey weather.
> 
> sounds like you have some cool birds there, guess you need a 2000mm F4 zoom eh? lol



...I'm shooting a 400mm f/5.6 prime...I'd like a 400mm 2.8*L*, at least with that I could use my teleconverters and get up to 1600mm with a usable aperture but that's just a little out of the budget. Until then I am stuck creeping through the bush








Invisodude said:


> Hey, this bird let us get close last year, we think it's a yellow headed black bird, do you know if that's right? This guy I was about 25 feet from so I could have  a decent angle since he was in a tree



That is exactly what it is I do believe. _Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus_

*EDIT* Got lost looking for a picture lol




Invisodude said:


> Battou: I looked for a couple old shots where I got really close to a GHB, the one I blew out his jaw in the hot sun but it was cool to be within 15 feet of  him taking pics. Ours seem to be tamer by boat docks rather then off in the more wild area. It's almost like they expect humans to be around.


Nice shots 

Well the heron that live here hang out down in the river bed where it's left pretty natural and with out a lot of human interferance. There is some heavy brush between the road and the river so one can not see the road from the river bed, suffice it to say it can be heard but.... The cars traveling by on the road above does not bother them but a single foot step in the brush seems to be heard for yards even when I try to mask my movement with the traffic. By the time I get an eyeball on them they are flying away


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## Invisodude (Feb 17, 2010)

Thanks for checking that bird, cool, now I am sure what it is!

That's a nice lens though 400 is good, and creeping in the brush is what I do also but hope for friendly critters so I can get close. 

I bet that is the deal with the herons, ours hang out by the docks where people fish all the time, so I guess they are really used to people. But I guess sneaking up on these birds and such is what makes this hobby challenging!


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## Battou (Feb 17, 2010)

Invisodude said:


> Thanks for checking that bird, cool, now I am sure what it is!
> 
> That's a nice lens though 400 is good, and creeping in the brush is what I do also but hope for friendly critters so I can get close.
> 
> I bet that is the deal with the herons, ours hang out by the docks where people fish all the time, so I guess they are really used to people. But I guess sneaking up on these birds and such is what makes this hobby challenging!



Yes it is, that is a lot of what keeps me doing it.

This is where the heron around here hang out, this less than a hundred feet from a main road in the city (the same road that the police and fire department is located on) and less than two hundred yards from my home.


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## Invisodude (Feb 17, 2010)

Gorgeous area! Wow so close, that's great. We have to drive to the next town to see them at a local lake. Funny how seeing a person's location makes you assume, I see New York under your name and imagine you live in an apartment like you see on TV, like Seinfeld or something lol


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## Battou (Feb 17, 2010)

Invisodude said:


> Gorgeous area! Wow so close, that's great. We have to drive to the next town to see them at a local lake. Funny how seeing a person's location makes you assume, I see New York under your name and imagine you live in an apartment like you see on TV, like Seinfeld or something lol



lol no, I live in a run down converted dueplex. After my father bought it he took the second apartment out of it and made it one big house and then quit fixing things when my siblings would break them as kids saying "I'm done fixing things till you kids move out" Sadly he never got to it now it's up to my brother and I repair twenty years of neglect.....but I digress. I live on the other end of the state, that shot was taken in a slow spot on the Allegheny River that runs right through the middle of the city. I live on a small dead end road right next to it off the main road that runs along beside it.


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## jtee (Feb 17, 2010)

Great catch on the Yellow Headed Blackbird, not often seen bird and usually at great distances. Good way of telling is the white on the wings :


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## Battou (Feb 17, 2010)

jtee said:


> Great catch on the Yellow Headed Blackbird, not often seen bird and usually at great distances. Good way of telling is the white on the wings :



I've noticed this, I read they share habitat with the redwing blackbird but have never seen one my self and have seen dozens of redwing blackbirds.


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## Invisodude (Feb 17, 2010)

I guess that keeps you busy then fixing things! 

Maybe it's the idea that the state of New York and the city of New York have the same name, when I hear New York I always forget there are other places besides the huge concrete jungle we see on TV all the time 
It's like wow you guys have trees and grass too? LOL




Battou said:


> Invisodude said:
> 
> 
> > Gorgeous area! Wow so close, that's great. We have to drive to the next town to see them at a local lake. Funny how seeing a person's location makes you assume, I see New York under your name and imagine you live in an apartment like you see on TV, like Seinfeld or something lol
> ...


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## Invisodude (Feb 17, 2010)

Jtee: cool shot of one in flight. That shot I got was the only time I've ever seen one and your right, there are tons of RWBB's in that area. Must be a shy cousin of theirs


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## jtee (Feb 17, 2010)

Battou said:


> jtee said:
> 
> 
> > Great catch on the Yellow Headed Blackbird, not often seen bird and usually at great distances. Good way of telling is the white on the wings :
> ...



 Yes and they also migrate with flocks of RWBB nesting and raising young in marshy areas atop of Beaver huts and or Muskrat huts. Quite a secretive bird.  Water depths and size of openwaters in marshy ares also play a big part in they're  decisions for nesting. I was quite lucky to get the shot that I did last Spring at Horicon Marsh


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## Invisodude (Feb 17, 2010)

Ah cool, there are beaver and muskrats in that same lake those were in. Cool!

I remember the first time we saw a muskrat there, I thought it was just a friggen huge rat. Me and my wife are standing there going 'wow freaky, run! giant rats!!' LOL







jtee said:


> Battou said:
> 
> 
> > jtee said:
> ...


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## Ta-graphy (Feb 17, 2010)

hey Invisodude do you mind if i throw up a picture of my own grus americana?

i tried getting close when i visited maverick beach

i was like almost waist deep in water cuz he was standing out near the intertidal zone when i got closer, he looked like he wanted to fight me as if i was in his bubble, waist deep in water, expensive gear on...fighting a bird this time is not an option (book it!) haha


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## Invisodude (Feb 17, 2010)

sure glad you posted it, cool shot! and Great story! Man yes, I wouldn't want big bird attacking me in the water either lol. I've had a duck attack (a pet mind you!) and that was freaky enough lol


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## Ta-graphy (Feb 17, 2010)

its funny they always go for the eyes, they want our eye juice or something haha


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## Invisodude (Feb 17, 2010)

Ta-graphy said:


> its funny they always go for the eyes, they want our eye juice or something haha




Ewww that's gonna give me nightmares man


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## Kethaneni (Feb 18, 2010)

Good job! Nice details on almost all of them.


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## Invisodude (Feb 18, 2010)

Thanks!


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