Finally got the Turkey Vulture!

PixelRabbit · May 4, 2012

I have been after these guys since I got my camera. Finally today I got one!
I had a "way too excited" moment and didn't really nail it perfectly, focus could have been better, they seem a wee bit soft to me. They are fairly heavy crops so much closer and I start losing even more definition, but I struggled a bit with composition. Tried to get a portrait orientation to work but couldn't get it there.
C&C always welcome and appreciated.

**edit, pics here are updated with edits after Joel's suggestion on the "softness"**
the perfectionist in me is still balking at these but I give for now lol
1.

2.

3. (my favourite)
His wings are a little beat up.

sam7771 · May 4, 2012

I have been trying to get one forever nice shots love the 3rd one

you fail before sucsess

Majeed Badizadegan · May 4, 2012

3 is really nice.

Joel_W · May 4, 2012

Judi, WTG girl!!! Outstanding effort, and the pictures look great. pic #2 he looks like he's just mocking you. Pic #3 is tremendous. The wing span really turned a solid shot into a great one. None of the pictures look soft to me. Pics 1 & 2 look like they could use a tad more contrast and saturation when you compare them to picture #3.

Bo4key · May 4, 2012

Such a good looking bird .... :meh:

PixelRabbit · May 4, 2012

Thanks Sam, Rotanimod, Joel and lol Bo4key.

Sam, omg they are crafty aren't they!? They see ya comin' a mile away lol Keep at it!

Joel, yay! I knew I'd get them

I got Miss Emily to drive home from school so I could gawk around and see what I could see. We were almost home and she says "look Mom!" and pulls over. There are two in the ditch and they of course took off. They both flew up a little hill, I thought they were headed for the hills lol. I got out anyway and peeked over, they were still right there! So, much to Miss Em's amusement, I duck walked across the road so they couldn't see me and climbed the hill. One was on the post and one on the ground, the one on the post made a quick exit (which I missed lol) and the other took his place on the post for me

Good eye on 1 & 2 I swear editing is going to be the end of me lol I shall tinker with them and perhaps replace those in the OP with a note

Bo4key, teehee, I know I'm crazy but I think they are gorgeous creatures

PixelRabbit · May 5, 2012

OP updated with the edits.

SCraig · May 5, 2012

Well done, Judi! Great shots of some really ugly birds

I do think the second would look better in portrait orientation, but if you like it the way it is that's what counts.

GeorgieGirl · May 5, 2012

I have never seen one!!! Nice!

PixelRabbit · May 5, 2012

Thank you Scott and GeorgieGirl

Scott, I agree that these are definitely poses that should work in portrait. There was just something about the proportions that I just couldn't solve, I'll likely have another go at it at some point.

GG, glad you got to see them!

Joel_W · May 5, 2012

Judi, talk about being on a quest !!

PixelRabbit · May 5, 2012

Lol yep Joel! The three that have proven a challenge were these guys, rabbits (got tons of bunnybutt shots though! Lol) and the deer.
Yesterday I got these guys AND the rabbit! The deer I have still only seen tracks... But I'll get them

SCraig · May 5, 2012

PixelRabbit said:
Lol yep Joel! The three that have proven a challenge were these guys, rabbits (got tons of bunnybutt shots though! Lol) and the deer.
Yesterday I got these guys AND the rabbit! The deer I have still only seen tracks... But I'll get them

Come down here and I'll put you onto all the deer you can shake a stick at. Wild deer, not the zoo kind. One of the places I shoot a lot is infested with them. While walking around the lake one morning a couple of years ago I kept track, and in a 3-mile loop I saw 36 White-Tailed Deer.

bobandcar · May 5, 2012

Dear are plentiful in Delaware.
For turkey buzzards. I can take a new picture every day of thm. They are everywhere.

As far as getting. Close they always seem to see ya

PixelRabbit · May 6, 2012

Oh Scott that would be awesome I'm packing my bags

At this point it has become a personal challenge. They use our trails through the woods here a lot. I have followed a few but the problem is the trails are twisty turny so they just stay one step ahead of me (or 100 lol)

Bobandcar, same here with the Turkeys. They are plentiful but hard to get close to, they definitely see ya comin' a mile away. With my 18/200 lens I have to be pretty close

I have lots of shots of them juuuust out of range... it's like they know.