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I havent been out birding lately because I managed to break my heel but it is getting better now and I am busily getting the ole leg muscles moving again.
I walked around the local park today looking for some finches I had seen the other day (first walk so didnt have the camera).
Unfortunately it was very windy and small birds are just about never in the open when that happens so i saw nothing.
I got these two common birds though. I took them because I am going thru bird withdrawal symptoms


This was taken early arvo. When the light is quite harsh.
I heard a baby currawong begging to be fed and was hoping for a feeding shot but mum wouldnt oblige. I decided to move closer but mum flew off leaving junior trying to figure out what I was. I got this full portrait when it turned its head . The beak is just starting to blow out.
Full frame but cropped for composition.
both 80-400@400 handheld

Steve

Hi avkomp,
I kind of like the noisy myna, it's a delightful little bird, and quite adaptable/intelligent, too. A lot of people don't appreciate it because they confuse it with the imported, native bird displacing, indian myna.

I suppose you could try a WB eye dropper on the bird's breast plumage which is fairly white, to get rid of that blue sky projected light.

The second bird looks quite imposing. Did you say hand-held at 400mm??

Cheers
Steffen.

Steffan: both shot with the 80-400vr handheld.

I would normally use fill when shooting birds but the noisy myna was shot without because I was sitting down packing up grumbling about not getting any shots when this guy landed nearby.
I could have fixed the white balance to shade also but forgot about that until now!!

Even the common indian mynas are quite striking birds to look at.

The baby currawong isnt exactly a baby, juvenile would be more correct.
feeds itself but still tries it on with mum!!

The light was quite harsh for the currawong and had to shoot carefully.
as it was this -1.3 ev and even then I could only shoot when it turned its head the correct way (otherwise the beak would have been red hot).

Steve

Hi Steve, badluck on the heel. I know how you feel as I haven't been out much recently due to other things on and the weather being less than ideal for photographing birds. We've had nothing but non stop overcast days recently. Tomorrow is the first day that it's going to be fine and 35 so planning a day out. Thinking about St Leonards down near Geelong as that is suppose to be good for waders at the moment. Not sure what it's like though for access so it'll be a bit of a recky.

Darryl, the worst thing about the heel was that it was totally self inflicted.

I back kicked a credenza (with enough force to easily break a knee )
unfotunately I didnt know the back was 10mm pineboard and I also got it where it was reinforced with vertical support.

so as it turned out I did kick it hard enough to break a leg, but it turned out to be mine!! doh!!

I got the gang gangs the other week but I drove there and was only about 200m from the car. I wore no shoes and limped my way over to the trees.
doesnt hurt anymore now though so just a matter of time!!
Steve

avkomp wrote:Steffan: both shot with the 80-400vr handheld.

Crikey! Remind me to never touch any of those contraptions, esp. at mini meets. My household budget wouldn't take kindly to that...

Cheers
Steffen.

Steffan: I love the 80-400vr and despite a lengthy discussion about it being the best lens available for birding, (which I believe it isnt) it still is capable of doing the business for you.

I fixed the white balance on the myna too.
I wasnt going to bother until I saw it on the web, was way too cold.
resulting from shooting in strong shade with WB set to sun.

Easily fixed though.
what about the colour now??

Steve

avkomp wrote:what about the colour now??

Much better now, looks like the real thing

Just stop talking about that VR lens, will you...

Cheers
Steffen.

Avkomp,
Great shots! you mastered the 80-400VR! well done!
Have I said 80-400VR once again!!!!!!!

Crisp shots Avkomp. Gotta love the 80-400VR when used properly.
cheers
marco

Real sorry to hear about your heal, and glad you've managed to get back out into the field. Both shots are nice and sharp and show off what the 80-400VR can do, which is take great shots in praticed hands! Hopefully now your more mobile you'll have some more exotic birds to post.

I really like the regal pose adopted in that second shot, the 80-400's a great lens especially in the hands of someone that drives it well... Hoep the heel's on the mend.

Cheers.

Shows the sharpness of that lens in the right hands. The angle you've taken the second shot really works well and the bright light hitting the eye brings that up beautifully too. Hope you're fully mobile and out taking more like these soon.