BIRD IN FLIGHT ONLY -- share your BIF photos here

[ISv]

Thank you, Alan!
I never have seen one in that area, a local park where I spent a lot of time.
Today I had a look at these pictures of last january...

To have a look at pictures from the last January is non of problem! The problem is when you have no pictures to look at!

 

[Nemorino]

Tadorna ferruginea in flight with different shutter speeds
R5 + RF 100-500L
1/4000s, f/7.1


and 1/320s, f/7.1

 

[danfaz]

Unexpected BIF from this Mourning Dove that was watching me hike up to a peak this morining.

 

[ISv]

And today: vent there for the White-tailed Tropic bird (very long shot, it really use to pass there but very, very rare), eventually the Great Frigate bird. All I got were the Red-tailed Tropic birds. A lot of boring photos like the first one (I may have better but still boring - disappointing, not sure I will ever look at the rest!).
After the first one I'm posting only the more interesting that I found from first glance...

 

[Click]

Very nice series, ISv. I especially like the second and third one.

 

[danfaz]

Thought ya'll might get a kick out of these Robins and Waxwings trying to find a spot to get some bird bath action. The Waxwings were literally standing on top of each other, and on a Robin's tail!

https://flic.kr/p/2pAtLKF

A couple of still frames from the video:

 

[Click]

Nicely done, danfaz.

 

[AlanF]

And today: vent there for the White-tailed Tropic bird (very long shot, it really use to pass there but very, very rare), eventually the Great Frigate bird. All I got were the Red-tailed Tropic birds. A lot of boring photos like the first one (I may have better but still boring - disappointing, not sure I will ever look at the rest!).
After the first one I'm posting only the more interesting that I found from first glance...

View attachment 215184View attachment 215185View attachment 215186

The first isn't boring, it has a nice view of its red tails. Birds like that are a real rarity for the likes of us.

 

[docsmith]

I went out to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts looking for harriers, seagulls dropping clams/mussels, etc. Turns out, I was lucky. We ended up seeing three short-eared owls working the marshes. The third encounter was the closest.

All taken with the R5 and RF 200-800.

 

[Click]

Beautiful shots, I really like the first and 3rd one.

 

[danfaz]

I went out to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts looking for harriers, seagulls dropping clams/mussels, etc. Turns out, I was lucky. We ended up seeing three short-eared owls working the marshes. The third encounter was the closest.

All taken with the R5 and RF 200-800.

View attachment 215211

View attachment 215212



View attachment 215214
View attachment 215215

Wow, nice series!

 

[MSH411]

Absolutely beautiful!

 

[ISv]

Very nice series, ISv. I especially like the second and third one.

Thanks Click!

 

[ISv]

The first isn't boring, it has a nice view of its red tails. Birds like that are a real rarity for the likes of us.

For me they are boring (it doesn't mean I don't like them!) because I use to get plenty of photos where these birds are just flying around me. They are boring for me now but you have to see my excitement when I succeeded to take my first series back in the time!

 

[EricN]

I went out to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts looking for harriers, seagulls dropping clams/mussels, etc. Turns out, I was lucky. We ended up seeing three short-eared owls working the marshes. The third encounter was the closest.

All taken with the R5 and RF 200-800.

View attachment 215211

View attachment 215212



View attachment 215214
View attachment 215215

Great Scott! Great Shots! The R5 and RF 200-800 combination turned out very nicely

 

[EricN]

For me they are boring (it doesn't mean I don't like them!) because I use to get plenty of photos where these birds are just flying around me. They are boring for me now but you have to see my excitement when I succeeded to take my first series back in the time!

When you see something often, it loses it's appeal and that's one reason why so many people feel a need to travel, but having the ability to see photos from nearly where helps provide some satisfaction.

 

[AlanF]

I went out to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts looking for harriers, seagulls dropping clams/mussels, etc. Turns out, I was lucky. We ended up seeing three short-eared owls working the marshes. The third encounter was the closest.

All taken with the R5 and RF 200-800.

View attachment 215211

View attachment 215212



View attachment 215214
View attachment 215215

Shorties are among the most photogenic birds in flight. Well done! Can't wait to get my chance with the 200-800mm though the 800/11 did well in December. I've had three trips since with the 200-800mm but they were nowhere to be seen.

 

[docsmith]

Thanks everyone.

That was some unexpected fun.

@AlanF I'll be interested to get your thoughts. I am not sure if it was the distance, how close they were to the ground (both color and height), my settings or something about the Shorty themselves, but the AF-eye detect needed a lot of work. It was bouncing all around. I'd use spot AF to get it back onto the shorty and then it'd stick for awhile.

 

[AlanF]

Thanks everyone.

That was some unexpected fun.

@AlanF I'll be interested to get your thoughts. I am not sure if it was the distance, how close they were to the ground (both color and height), my settings or something about the Shorty themselves, but the AF-eye detect needed a lot of work. It was bouncing all around. I'd use spot AF to get it back onto the shorty and then it'd stick for awhile.

I am not impressed with the RF 200-800mm at 800mm for BIF so far, and I'd like to test it further but there aren't that many opportunities here at present. This morning, I had an attempt with Marsh Harriers and failed at 800mm, and zoomed out to 600mm. 800mm is more difficult than 600mm anyway. Here are are some successful shots at 600mm - Marsh Harrier and quacking Mallard.

 

[Del Paso]

We, fortunately, have lots of Lapwings. Kites have made a welcome return. Unfortunately, we don't have any Ortolans, possibly because M. Mitterand and friends ate them all.

Bruant ortolans, though protected in France since 2017, are unfortunately still honor illegal menus. Many hunters have the sad habit of shooting whatever moves or can be eaten. And, the rarer the prey, the higher it's price as a meal...
It's not hunting I condemn, but the behavior of some hunters can only be described as a disgrace.
And yes, Mitterand had a strange way of protecting edible nature.