Few Birds in Flight

[PixelRabbit]

These are a couple recent shots of birds in flight. The Common Grackle's iridescence is a bit of a challenge, I like the one on the river for colours better but the one on the clear day for the Grackle's stance, unfortunately the shadows blocked up a bit in all of the shots with the clear sky (I'm sure there was some photographer error involved also lol). The geese we came across in a field when we were out for a drive, there were so many I had to stop and take some shots.

Would love to hear your thoughts, thanks for taking a look!

 

[PropilotBW]

Love your second shot. I like the bird's wings "in the flare"

I actually think the Grackle's colors are better in your second one, versus the river shot

 

[Derrel]

#2 for the win. Wow...look at what that new lens is capable of doing for you...this is a pretty good testament to the lens/photographer pairing; you had the ability to "see" and "find" the shots...now that you have the "tool", you're already producing decent results with it, even while just coming to know it. This is the difference between having an 18-200 kit zoom, and an L-glass, long-tele zoom. Good for you! Now go have some coffee!

 

[O'Rork]

Beautiful captures of the Grackle, AKA yellow eyed demon bird that makes a mess of my feeder.

 

[dudley_53]

I hate gracles because they trash my feeders. Love the second shot though!

 

[DarkShadow]

Excellent Capture,Kudos.

 

[pgriz]

Yep, #2 is pretty sweet. And your panning technique in all three is very steady! Been practicing, I take it.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thanks everyone!

We have a flock of about 20+ of these guys here, there is no fighting them at the feeders lol There is a flock of starlings that join them in the evening and they all sleep in the cedars in the spring, in about a month the starlings move on but a lot of the grackles stay all season. I have a couple hanging feeders and various places I use for platform feeding and all of the critters figure it out between themselves.

Derrel and Paul, thanks! **cheers with my coffee mug**
I'm loving the lens, it is going to take a while before I can use it as "instinctively" as I can my 18-200 but thus far I'm thrilled with the potential I see The second shot was taken from a spot I couldn't shoot from with the 18-200, it was juuuust out of reach but a GREAT vantage point (I can sneak out a window and sit on the roof and shoot level with the top of these two trees). There are a few places like this, they were just out of reach but now they are in my sweet spot These feeder birds are great practice, I figure if I can get the fast little guys I should be ready to get the big guys when I finally find them lol!

 

[PixelRabbit]

Oh and as for the colours, I got this shot yesterday (but damn cutting off his feet/tail!) This I would say is in between the previous two and right about where I want to be.