ABS Brakes required

[Fangman]

It amazes me how these little critters can judge landings considering the speed of their approach. The Great tit has braced its self ready for impact from the incoming goldfinch.

Less than half a second later, they both look relaxed and ready to resume feeding.

 

[rocdoc]

excellent catch!

 

[Fangman]

Working with the shutter set to 6fps and the lens set to about 130mm instead of the 200mm to give a wider field of view to catch the blighters in flight and scrapping over perches, I pre-focused on the red perch and at F4 very little depth of field. Fill in flash helps to freeze some of the movement - but not all. Camera is on tripod and cable release used and I am taking by looking past the camera and not through the viewfinder or using live view as there is no chance of catching the action by the time you see them in shot - they are coming in at 20-30mph!

With freezing wind and rain out there - have been amusing myself by doing an illustration version that will print at "standard" version on plain paper or card that is about to go on notlets to send to grandchildren

 

[Derrel]

Fangman,
A friend of mine who shoots birds coming in to a similar feeder was getting some blurring on the wings...which makes me want to ask--are you shooting with the camera in High Speed Synch mode deliberately, to get that blurring on the wings? Or is that blurring caused by a 50-50 percent flash-to-daylight ratio with "single-burst" electronic flash?

 

[Sisco]

I like the note pad rendition.
Your birds are so colorful..your Great Tit has the head of our chickadee.

 

[Fangman]

Fangman,
A friend of mine who shoots birds coming in to a similar feeder was getting some blurring on the wings...which makes me want to ask--are you shooting with the camera in High Speed Synch mode deliberately, to get that blurring on the wings? Or is that blurring caused by a 50-50 percent flash-to-daylight ratio with "single-burst" electronic flash?

Single Flash - my old gun that had the strobe setting dous not work with digital!
The blurring comes from shooting at 1/200th as the Autumn light is not as good as one hopes - even in sunlight. I found to really freeze action you have to rely on flash alone or think of speeds of 1/2000th of higher with these small birds. In good light I have used this but have had to use iso settings of 1600 or 3200 in the light available in the UK . . . may have to move to Arizona!