Mixed Bag of Birds

[SCraig]

I went to one of my favorite bird spots this morning to see if any migratory birds were showing up yet, and sure enough there were a few Ring-Billed Gulls around. It was rather cold and very foggy early so I guess it's about time for them to start showing up for the season.

A Ring-Billed Gull ....

A Killdeer ....

A Great Blue Heron ....

A Kingfisher ....

And a Bald Eagle ....

That's the second time I've seen the Eagle but he obviously sees me first since he stays way out over the lake making it difficult to get a decent shot. I can't find his roost, I just see him flying over and have no idea where he comes from. One of these days I'll get a good shot of him though.

 

[DarkShadow]

Nice set scott. I was out early this morning today it was 32 degrees frosty cold. My hands where so cold but the camera held up better then I did.

 

[DougGrigg]

nice set, king fisher is my favorite with the misty feel of the image.

 

[SCraig]

Nice set scott. I was out early this morning today it was 32 degrees frosty cold. My hands where so cold but the camera held up better then I did.

Thanks, Dave. It was colder here though I just looked and the low early this morning was 28. The record low for this day, set in 1968, was 27.

I love cold weather though, and hate hot weather. I love to get out and walk around in the woods or around the lake when it's crisp and cold. I'm getting past some back and hip problems and walked about 4 miles today. It sure felt good to be able to again

nice set, king fisher is my favorite with the misty feel of the image.

Thanks! That's my favorite as well, and it's the only shot I have of a Kingfisher. While there are some around here they aren't abundant and they are very, very shy. I've seen a few but never gotten close enough for a shot. That shot is from 60 meters with a 500mm lens. I tried to get closer but the next step I took after that shot he flew away.

 

[DougGrigg]

haha, shifty little buggers!

 

[annamaria]

The kingfisher is definitely my favorite.

 

[SCraig]

haha, shifty little buggers!

They are shifty! There is another lake I shoot at from time to time and there is a Kingfisher there that frequently sits on the same limb of the same tree. I saw him one morning and started working my way around the end of the lake. When I got close to the tree, he was sitting in another tree on the other side where I started.

The kingfisher is definitely my favorite.

Thanks! Here's another with him facing the other way. I think I prefer the first one though.

 

[shefjr]

Scott I actually like the second kingfisher shot better. I know many might say to crop in more but, I like how he is framed here. The tree takes my eye to him (enter frame left) and then the white ring around his neck draws my attention right to him. Then I notice he is looking back into the frame which makes me wonder what he is looking at.
I like the eagle shot and the killdeer as well.
Great series all in all.

 

[sm4him]

I'm with shef, I kinda like the second kingfisher better; but I like 'em both just fine. And the killdeer--but then, I'm a sucker for those big killdeer eyes!

I know what you mean about kingfishers; those things can sense that you're ABOUT to move!

I haven't seen the eagles that nest close to me yet this year. I'm hoping they haven't moved off somewhere. But I've also been told about another nest about 30 minutes from here that is evidently easier to view, so I'm looking forward to going with a friend to scope that out soon!

By the way, I *almost* got the chance to come to your neck of the woods and check out Radnor Lake last Thursday, but it didn't happen. I was going to message you about it, but decided against it, since I had no idea how long we'd have once we got there. My sister and I were going out to Brentwood to look at a Miata she wanted to buy--but then she got a Carfax done on the car and decided against buying it, so no trip west just yet. I was kinda disappointed!

 

[baturn]

The Kingfisher shots are great. I prefer the 1st. Although they are fairly common around here, I have never gotten close enough to get a decent shot. Ah well, something to look forward to.

 

[SCraig]

Scott I actually like the second kingfisher shot better. I know many might say to crop in more but, I like how he is framed here. The tree takes my eye to him (enter frame left) and then the white ring around his neck draws my attention right to him. Then I notice he is looking back into the frame which makes me wonder what he is looking at.
I like the eagle shot and the killdeer as well.
Great series all in all.

Thanks! I liked the crop because of the tree going down into the water. Besides, I can't crop much more since that's pretty much all the detail that there is A small bird at 60 meters is still a small target so they are already pretty heavily cropped.

I'm with shef, I kinda like the second kingfisher better; but I like 'em both just fine. And the killdeer--but then, I'm a sucker for those big killdeer eyes!

I know what you mean about kingfishers; those things can sense that you're ABOUT to move!

I haven't seen the eagles that nest close to me yet this year. I'm hoping they haven't moved off somewhere. But I've also been told about another nest about 30 minutes from here that is evidently easier to view, so I'm looking forward to going with a friend to scope that out soon!

By the way, I *almost* got the chance to come to your neck of the woods and check out Radnor Lake last Thursday, but it didn't happen. I was going to message you about it, but decided against it, since I had no idea how long we'd have once we got there. My sister and I were going out to Brentwood to look at a Miata she wanted to buy--but then she got a Carfax done on the car and decided against buying it, so no trip west just yet. I was kinda disappointed!

Kingfishers are kind of my nemesis. As you said, they have predictive abilities and KNOW what I'm going to do before I do. I usually see one once every couple of weeks, normally streaking across the surface of a lake to land somewhere on the other side.

I just got back from Radnor Lake. It's my usual Sunday-morning-go-shoot-birds spot. During the week it isn't too bad but on weekends you either get there early or wait in line to park. The east parking lot (closest to Brentwood) is tiny and fills up very quickly. The west parking lot isn't much larger but they allow parking along the road there. Unfortunately the road from east to west is closed so you can't drive from one end to the other, you have to make a 5 mile loop to get from one end to the other.

My office is in Brentwood so I'd have been annoyed had you come and not called

The Kingfisher shots are great. I prefer the 1st. Although they are fairly common around here, I have never gotten close enough to get a decent shot. Ah well, something to look forward to.

Thanks, glad you like them. Those birds are tough to get close to but one of these days one is going to mess up and let me sneak up on it. Part of the fun is in the challenge though and these are definitely a challenge.

They are probably like many birds though, once we get a decent shot then they suddenly start showing up everywhere. I Spent 30 YEARS trying to get a shot of a Wood Duck and never even SAW one. Once I finally did get one I started seeing them every time I went to a lake.