All posts,  Photo Stuff,  The Bush

For the birds

July 5, 2011 / 15 Comments

I learned a number of things on the weekend just past.

I learned just how hideously unfit I am.

I learned that my knees don’t like carting my weight up hills, or even down them.

I learned that unless I do something about the weight and the knees, I am going to be eating my kids dust in the very near future.

I don’t like eating dust. (I already knew that!)

I also learned just how handy it is to be The Photographer.

I stopped regularly on our bush hike to (A) catch my breath and (B) take photos.  I liked that I had a couple of excuses (and that one didn’t sound nearly as pathetic as the other).

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I also learned that if you venture bush, you see BIRDS.

Real pretty birds too.  If you are lucky, and away from the noisy walkers… and well… slow.

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Now I am no ornithologist (yes I check that term with my friends Google and Wikipedia!  Did you know that the name James Bond was taken by Ian Fleming from a famous ornithologist? Me neither!)… where was I? Oh yes.  I am no bird expert, but according to my googling, the birds who posed so sweetly for me during our walk were Australian King Parrots.

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If you have bird leanings, you might be able to advise us otherwise?  To me, the first shot looks like a female, and the rest might be a make of the Alisterus scapularis species.  (Thanks to my off-siders Cut and Paste for this observation.  And if you are an Aussie, you might get the ever-so-subtle Australia’s Got Talent reference there.)

But back to the birds…

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I was so excited to get within about four metres of this gorgeous boy – I wasn’t game to lower the Nikon from my face to check settings.  As you can see, while he stayed reasonably still, the sharpness of the photos were okay.  But when he moved around…

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Well.  Let’s just say it was better if he stopped and posed for me!

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Photo Nerd Info:

Exposure/ Shutter Speed 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture/ F stop f/5.6
Focal Length/ lense 200 mm
ISO/film Speed 800

Lesson of the Day: 1/50 of a second shutter speed IS NOT FAST ENOUGH to capture a decent bird shot.  Unless the bird is stuffed.

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So, my friends tell me:

Are you a birdwatcher?

A bird photographer?

Any hints for us wannabes? (Yes Kate, I am talking to you too!)

Even if you are not an expert, what is your favourite bird?

Mine is still these guys… not pretty, but magnificent. One day I’m going to get up-close-and-personal with one. One day…

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15 Comments

  • Kelly
    July 6, 2011 at 5:08 am Reply

    Yes, I’m a bird watcher.

    No, I’m not a bird photographer (though a woman -now deceased- who use to photograph birds for magazines like National Geographic lived in my hometown and I have one of her Canada Goose photos on my wall)

    I had a blog post once about my favorite kinds of birds. I love so many, but I think the Northern Cardinal is tops. Male, female… I think both are beautiful and I love their song.

    Your photos are wonderful and I’d love to be able to see something like that around here!

  • A Novel Woman
    July 6, 2011 at 6:45 am Reply

    Oh WOW! You have these birds just flying around wild?! I mean, these aren’t escaped pets, right? Those are AWESOME! (yes, I love birds, why?)

    I am looking forward to hearing from someone about bird photography. I can never get the settings right. We have hummingbirds, evening grosbeaks, cardinals, bluejays, robins, chickadees, that will eat sunflower seeds from my hand and all manner of other birds (like ducks and great herons.)

  • A Novel Woman
    July 6, 2011 at 6:46 am Reply

    Oh and loons. They’re my favourites. Look them up and then see if you can find a link to their calls. I hear them every night, and this week, I saw a female carrying a baby on her back. I almost melted on the spot.

  • Kate
    July 6, 2011 at 7:20 am Reply

    Um, do you mean me (Kate)? Now you know my pain when it comes to bird photography, BB. Little suckers are fast, aren’t they? I love it when they seem to pose, though.
    I actually have taken some really good shots on the auto dial (sports mode), then adjust light, etc. in PS. I think a good lens helps, too. I use a Nikkor 70-300mm with no VR (vibration reduction) but would prefer one with it.
    Here’s one of my favorite bird sites that I have set to the loon for the commenter above. I love the sound of the loon.
    http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Loon/videos
    My favorite bird? Geez – that would be difficult to say. It might be the Great Blue Heron.

  • Helen G,
    July 6, 2011 at 8:54 am Reply

    I love to watch the birds and get a few photos occasionally but I’m nowhere near your and Kate’s proficiency. I probably enjoy my bird photos a lot more than anyone else would simply because it brings to mind when I saw them.

    My favorites? Flamingos and parrots… thank you very much for sharing these beauties!

    Helen

  • Leenie
    July 6, 2011 at 9:34 am Reply

    Wow! To find such a feathered friend looking back at me from a tree would make me nearly pass out! Nothing that bright or parrot-y living at this altitude. But I know how cool it is to find something wild and amazing in your view-finder. There’s a lot to be said to (being out of breath) not running with the herd, especially if you have a Nikon attached to your fingers.

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