Dusky Woodswallow (and website launch)

[kipper]

Image processing has been fairly slow over the past few weeks as I've been working on my website. Upgraded my hosting on Aussie Hosts so that I have 3 domains associated with the hosting, 5dbs and numerous php applications to chose from via the plesk administration interface. I've spent the past 3-5 days when I've had the opportunity to tweak the website from the default template to my own look and feel. Although a fair bit of work still needs to be done.

Anyway onto the picture. Went out to Banyule Flats and a few other places this morning in search of the Sacred Kingfisher that I saw the other week and also to look for any Azure Kingfishers along the river. However no luck on either fronts even after walking from 6.30 to 11am with all of my photogear (~12kg). I ditched the tripod + wimberley today as I knew I was going to be doing a lot of walking, could do with a monopod I think Was walking along the fields at Banyule when I noticed these guys gliding around. I spotted one in a tree and approached it and was fairly close. I never have seen a Woodswallow before but immediately recognised the similar beak and body structure to the post that Paul made recently so I knew it was some sort of Woodswallow. I managed to get the 500MM out and decided to ditch the 1.4x in favour of more stops and less weight. I ended up taking this handheld with no flash used or mounted.

ISO400, F8, 1/250, Centre Weighted


<img src="http://www.darrylmorgan.com/photos/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=56&g2_GALLERYSID=7b9507cc9fb65c99e95a93bf5261cde4" width="534" height="800" alt="">

[big pix]

wow....... a very fine bird pix........ I am yet to try pix's of birds but what I have seen this takes a lot of time and patience...... I will give it a go soon with my old and beat-up 500 mirror lens........

[wendellt]

excellent shot, i have no idea how far you were away form it but it's technically spot on, considering you were handholding a 500mm monster

you should get someone to take a photo of you working, i would like to see how you handle that lens

Congratulations on the new site as well, it's a lot of work but having your own site feels like owning a country in the digital world!

[kipper]

How I handle it Wendell - with great difficulty
I found lugging the lens around isn't so bad without the tripod and head, with the added weight of that it really makes hiking/walking tiring. I can't wait for Nikon to produce a VR set of long primes. I'm still trying to find a decent technique for handholding. I'm trying various combos - supporting it at the lensfoot, supporting it at the focusing ring, supporting it at the hood. I probably should of opted here for less aperture and more shutter seeing as I wasn't using the TC I could of probably gone around F5 - F5.6 and still have a tack sharp image. Distance from the bird was around 5-6M.

[BBJ]

Hi Darryl, thats a nice birdy, and i dont know how you do it as i wouldnt know any really from your common spoggy , starling etc... all i know is they are hard to shoot, so well done.

[avkomp]

sweet light, good shot, tack sharp.
you obviously have got good technique handholding the 500
Steve

[marcotrov]

Beautifully taken Kipper. Handheld too, as wendell says you must have good technique. Good job but you are right get a monopod and it will make a big difference not only to your photos taken with monster lenses but to walking with a heavy pack. I use mine as a walking stick too.
cheers
marco

[Glen]

Kipper, your website looks good, the brown and black go well together. Look forward to seeing it full of your images

[cc@t]

Upgraded my hosting on Aussie Hosts so that I have 3 domains associated with the hosting, 5dbs and numerous php applications to chose from via the plesk administration interface.

That's not contagious is it??

Excellent shot of the bird!!

[Slider]

Brilliant shot Kipper especially given it's handheld. That is a very nice lens

[Oneputt]

That is a lovely shot Darryl I do not even recall seeing that bird before.