Birds On The Move!

[K9Kirk]

Got lucky and snapped a pic of this Great Blue Heron on the move.

Afterwards I got real lucky to spot this guy coming in low to feed, it's called a Skimmer, most likely because of how it feeds by skimming the top of the water. The lens didn't focus on him at distance so I guess I'll have to start practicing some quick manual focusing. I included a pic off the net (#3) to better show what a Skimmer looks like.

HE SCORES!!

#3

And last, I spotted this Anhinga or Snake Bird coming in for a landing. (again, trouble with the focus, sorry!)

 

[Photo Lady]

wow some great shots...especially the first one is just totally awesome shot.. your really getting some great photos..

 

[Jeff1579 79]

Some good shots but number one for me...........

 

[Raw photographer]

great shots

 

[K9Kirk]

wow some great shots...especially the first one is just totally awesome shot.. your really getting some great photos..

Some good shots but number one for me...........

great shots

Thanks guys!

 

[RowdyRay]

You're getting better. #1 is real close. Keep at it.

 

[N.V.M.]

i find it very odd that you had to post someone else's image to show what your subjects in your own images show look like?

 

[RVT1K]

Remember...luck is being ready when opportunity knocks. A key to getting good nature shots.

The heron shot is very cool and you were ready.

 

[K9Kirk]

i find it very odd that you had to post someone else's image to show what your subjects in your own images show look like?

I was thinking that someone who'd never seen one before might want to see it's details, which mine didn't offer since they were obviously out of focus. I'm sure you understand now.

 

[K9Kirk]

Remember...luck is being ready when opportunity knocks. A key to getting good nature shots.

The heron shot is very cool and you were ready.

Actually, I was ready. I had all the birds framed up and I captured them no problem. The problem was with my new lens, it doesn't like to focus at 600mm very fast or on the thing I want it to focus on.

 

[Braineack]

What were the camera settings here? Focus issues aside, I think some improvement could be had from changing the exposure settings.

 

[K9Kirk]

What were the camera settings here? Focus issues aside, I think some improvement could be had from changing the exposure settings.

Which pictures are you referring to?

 

[Braineack]

pretty much all of them, since the shutter speed seems a bit too slow...

 

[K9Kirk]

pretty much all of them, since the shutter speed seems a bit too slow...

I see what you mean now. You're talking about the blurred wings. All the pics were taken @1/250 except for the pic of the Anhinga which was taken @ 1/500. You should know the blur of wings is not viewed by all photographers as a mistake, many professionals intentionally allow for some blur for motion effect and I like mine that same way so it's not really a mistake, but a preference. Maybe you prefer wings to be completely still and sharp and that's OK, too. I have taken pics at 1/1000 and stopped the motion completely and I like the pics either way. Thanks for the feed back!
This is a pic from National Geographic.

 

[Braineack]

I don't mind the blurred wings, but I mind the motion/shake blur on the birds themselves.

depending on the bird/action, even at ~1/2000 you should still be getting some blur on the tips of the wings.

the second to last shot of the bird landing on the railing, the railing is tact sharp, but the bird is completely blurred. This reads as either miss-focused or motion/shake blur -- and not in a good way.

on the last shot, the railing is showing motion blur and the bird is even less in focus. Bumping the SS here could have achieved better results while still maintaining blurred wings.

on the first shot of the heron, when i view at 100%, I'm disappointed the body/head/feet of the bird are blurred.

Again, with all the focus misses here, hard to tell if it's technique/settings or just blown focus...