Birds In Flight

Surely there are enough birders here that we can have more than just one general "birds" thread? I did find a related thread... but it was last posted in 9 years ago - and I like my title better.

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About this thread:


Just a reminder : though a given image might fit several places to post - you can only post it in one of them. (with the exception of the Lens "sample" images section)

NOTE: If possible, PLEASE list equipment and settings - the information can only be helpful to all of us. After all, we are all learning from others.

NOTE2: Please also list the bird's common name if known.

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Here are a couple I have not yet shared to start things off from a recent day out. There were others I liked more - but I already posted them in Open Views.

1. Pintail

A99ii, Min 400/4.5, F5, 1/1600sec, ISO 400


2. American Wigeon - female

A99ii, Min 400/4.5, F5, 1/1600sec, ISO 500





Time will tell if there is enough interest.


Cheers

Mike



Edited by Micholand - 11 January 2018 at 19:15

Cracker shots Mike! BIF has to be the black art of birding, very hard to get right.

@Mike: All depends on the scenario, I'm an A77 shooter so "allergic" to higher ISO. If I get a perched bird I'll dial it down for a cleaner shot so if it takes off without giving off clues I'm SOL to capture the takeoff.
If I can keep ISO reasonable and still get a high SS I'll leave it where it is in anticipation, in all other situations I'm forever looking for giveaway behavior that it's about to take off.

A few of this morning's efforts....

1.
Wigeon incoming

Date Taken: 2018-01-14 11:26:59
Camera Model: ILCA-99M2
Lens: 400mm F4.5
Focal Length: 400 mm
Aperture: f/6.3
Exposure Time: 0.001 sec (1/1600)
ISO: 500

2.
Wigeon flyby

Date Taken: 2018-01-14 11:26:58
Camera Model: ILCA-99M2
Lens: 400mm F4.5
Focal Length: 400 mm
Aperture: f/6.3
Exposure Time: 0.001 sec (1/1600)
ISO: 400

3.
Wigeon banking

Date Taken: 2018-01-14 11:32:55
Camera Model: ILCA-99M2
Lens: 400mm F4.5
Focal Length: 400 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.001 sec (1/1600)
ISO: 125


4.
Bufflehead incoming

Date Taken: 2018-01-14 11:33:43
Camera Model: ILCA-99M2
Lens: 400mm F4.5
Focal Length: 400 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.001 sec (1/1600)
ISO: 400




Edited by WestCoastCannuck - 15 January 2018 at 03:48

That first one is a cracker Mambo! Lovely!

Oh, and a nice hummingbird
Here's the A&III with the 100-40. Mixed results due mainly to incompetent operator (well I had only bought the lens two hours earlier and previously used the camera once). I have to refer the combo here as seagulls make wigeons seem like exotics. However, with a strong wind they moved really fast and there were lots of background distractions, providing a good challenge.

With 1.4xTC at 1/500s to start with - confirming nothing was horribly wrong with the set up.



The TC was overkill as the birds were flying very close. Forgot to change the shutter speed from 1/500s after removing it though (I have decided to switch to shutter priority or manual for wildlife but it takes time to teach myself new tricks) resulting a number of rather blurry shots, but it worked for some flying towards me.

400mm, wide open ISO 200



The number of keepers (well none are really keepers but....) rose dramatically against a blue sky and with a proper shutter speed of 1/1600s.

ISO 250, 235mm




And same settings at 400mm - oops, still struggling to move the focus point fluently (got it now) causing some framing issues!




So very promising once I get the hang of it. Still got a lot of shots like this when I didn't use an unexpanded focus point though- would be prefect if only the bird's eyes were in its chest!

Great idea Mike, have just found this and whilst my new gear has lorikeets done to death I've dug up some 'oldies'. All yellow crested cockatoos.

Hope landings count...

A77. 135mm. 1/1600sec. F4. iso320


As above except iso160.

Two BIF's here.[Bee IF]

A77. 135mm. 1/1259. F4. iso 320.

I had not realised this was the first page of the thread! I'm a early adopter and I didn't even know it.

I have to get fully up to speed by the end of next month so yes, I'll be out a couple more times soon.

Beautiful cockatoos. I was amazed at even the city birdlife when I briefly visited Sydney recently. Birdlife seems really down in Bangkok nowadays.