Nature Blue Jay at the planter box

Blue Jay at the planter box · 12:14 PM

These guys came and started asking where the food was. The feeders weren't out all summer, but these guys remembered where we were come fall.

Adam · 11-20-2011, 12:33 PM

Nice pic! The only thing that's a bit weird is the rough edge in the middle of the upper third of the photo.

normhead · 11-20-2011, 12:54 PM

Hmmmm, I'm not sure I'm seeing what you are...the only thing done that would show up would be a line where I blurred the noisey blue light in the background... maybe you can see the edge of the blur line or your monitor, I can't see it on mine. Thanks for the comment.

igor · 11-20-2011, 01:54 PM

excellent sharp shot Norm. The 60-250/4 looks quite sharp even wide open... great job!

**Bob Harris** · 11-20-2011, 02:16 PM

Norm, are these blue jays or shrub jays, the only reason I ask is I once posted what I thought was a blue jay, but was corrected that it was a shrub jay. guess it doesn't make much difference, it is a jay, right. take care Bob

**rayallen** · 11-20-2011, 03:09 PM

Beautiful capture. And great colours. We don't have those little fellas down-under.

normhead · 11-20-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Norm, are these blue jays or shrub jays

We have Blue Jays here Bob, that little tuft on the back of his head is the difference I believe.

Quote:

The 60-250/4 looks quite sharp even wide open... great job!

This lens never let's you down. I have no further desire for anything longer, and it's sharp over it's whole range. I'm as happy pictures taken at 60 mmm as I am with the ones at 250mm.

Quote:

Beautiful capture. And great colours. We don't have those little fellas down-under.

Thanks... Maybe I should send you a few? They can take up where the rabbits left off. Tough aggressive birds they are. They run the chip monks off the feeder, and aren't too nice to smaller birds either. (I know you are saying "No, it can't be true." but it is.)

igor · 11-20-2011, 04:14 PM

Originally posted by normhead

....I have no further desire for anything longer....

You're lucky guys over there...local birds won't grant you a shot with anything shorter than 400mm

normhead · 11-20-2011, 04:23 PM

Quote:

You're lucky guys over there...local birds won't grant you a shot with anything shorter than 400mm

These guys eat seed we put out for them on our porch, so they are used to us milling around inside. But, I recently picked up an SMC 1.7 adapter that should take this lens to about 425 @ 6.7. I need a bit of sunshine so I can try it out, but the initial test shots look pretty good.

8540tomg · 11-20-2011, 04:27 PM

Great capture Norm,

I've tried many times but always came up with nothing when trying to capture Blue Jays.

Tom G

normhead · 11-20-2011, 04:31 PM

Quote:

I've tried many times but always came up with nothing when trying to capture Blue Jays.

It's all about those sunflower seeds you see in front of him on the planter box, which is 4 feet from our window. It's taken a while for these guys to learn to ignore us, and we've had more than a dozen here at once before, so I guess the three that are here now are the minority who decided the seeds might be worth the risk.

normhead · 11-21-2011, 02:41 PM

From today's shoot. I got out as the light was failing, so very soft light, not as sharp as the first photo... slow shutter speeds and I was using the 1.7x converter, but I still like the shot.

Tomorrow I'll get out in the daylight and see if I can get this a bit sharper.

As it got darker, I discovered a K20D doesn't do all that bad at 3200 ISO. Way better than what I would have got at 800 or 400.

loco · 11-21-2011, 04:23 PM

Fine shots! I swear, I think bluejays enjoy being photographed. They seem to pose for you! The first pic, in particular, is wonderful.

normhead · 11-21-2011, 04:28 PM

I hope to be able to duplicate the first shot tomorrow, by the time I got out this evening I'd lost my light ( 3 o'clock , the sun is already behind the trees here.) The soft light hopefully affected the contrast. I'll get out earlier tomorrow.

normhead
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by normhead
	Find threads started by normhead
	Find threads in which normhead has posted

11-20-2011, 12:33 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595	Nice pic! The only thing that's a bit weird is the rough edge in the middle of the upper third of the photo. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Nature Blue Jay	8540tomg	Post Your Photos!	2	09-10-2011 06:33 PM
Nature birds wild turkey and blue jay	pgfilms	Post Your Photos!	5	05-30-2011 02:02 PM
Nature October morning Blue Jay	Jools	Post Your Photos!	2	10-09-2010 02:23 AM
Blue Jay	darkstorm82	Post Your Photos!	4	10-09-2007 05:39 PM

11-20-2011, 12:54 PM	#3
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451 Original Poster	Hmmmm, I'm not sure I'm seeing what you are...the only thing done that would show up would be a line where I blurred the noisey blue light in the background... maybe you can see the edge of the blur line or your monitor, I can't see it on mine. Thanks for the comment.

11-20-2011, 01:54 PM	#4
igor Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: USA and Europe Posts: 585	excellent sharp shot Norm. The 60-250/4 looks quite sharp even wide open... great job!

11-20-2011, 02:16 PM	#5
Bob Harris Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Canon City, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,477	Norm, are these blue jays or shrub jays, the only reason I ask is I once posted what I thought was a blue jay, but was corrected that it was a shrub jay. guess it doesn't make much difference, it is a jay, right. take care Bob

11-20-2011, 03:09 PM	#6
rayallen Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Forresters Beach, NSW, Australia. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,014	Beautiful capture. And great colours. We don't have those little fellas down-under.

11-20-2011, 04:04 PM	#7
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451 Original Poster	Quote: Norm, are these blue jays or shrub jays We have Blue Jays here Bob, that little tuft on the back of his head is the difference I believe. Quote: The 60-250/4 looks quite sharp even wide open... great job! This lens never let's you down. I have no further desire for anything longer, and it's sharp over it's whole range. I'm as happy pictures taken at 60 mmm as I am with the ones at 250mm. Quote: Beautiful capture. And great colours. We don't have those little fellas down-under. Thanks... Maybe I should send you a few? They can take up where the rabbits left off. Tough aggressive birds they are. They run the chip monks off the feeder, and aren't too nice to smaller birds either. (I know you are saying "No, it can't be true." but it is.)

11-20-2011, 04:14 PM	#8
igor Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: USA and Europe Posts: 585	Originally posted by normhead ....I have no further desire for anything longer.... You're lucky guys over there...local birds won't grant you a shot with anything shorter than 400mm

11-20-2011, 04:23 PM	#9
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451 Original Poster	Quote: You're lucky guys over there...local birds won't grant you a shot with anything shorter than 400mm These guys eat seed we put out for them on our porch, so they are used to us milling around inside. But, I recently picked up an SMC 1.7 adapter that should take this lens to about 425 @ 6.7. I need a bit of sunshine so I can try it out, but the initial test shots look pretty good.

11-20-2011, 04:27 PM	#10
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	Great capture Norm, I've tried many times but always came up with nothing when trying to capture Blue Jays. Tom G

11-20-2011, 04:31 PM	#11
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451 Original Poster	Quote: I've tried many times but always came up with nothing when trying to capture Blue Jays. It's all about those sunflower seeds you see in front of him on the planter box, which is 4 feet from our window. It's taken a while for these guys to learn to ignore us, and we've had more than a dozen here at once before, so I guess the three that are here now are the minority who decided the seeds might be worth the risk.

11-21-2011, 02:41 PM	#12
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451 Original Poster	From today's shoot. I got out as the light was failing, so very soft light, not as sharp as the first photo... slow shutter speeds and I was using the 1.7x converter, but I still like the shot. Tomorrow I'll get out in the daylight and see if I can get this a bit sharper. As it got darker, I discovered a K20D doesn't do all that bad at 3200 ISO. Way better than what I would have got at 800 or 400.

11-21-2011, 04:23 PM	#13
loco Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,846	Fine shots! I swear, I think bluejays enjoy being photographed. They seem to pose for you! The first pic, in particular, is wonderful.

11-21-2011, 04:28 PM	#14
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451 Original Poster	I hope to be able to duplicate the first shot tomorrow, by the time I got out this evening I'd lost my light ( 3 o'clock , the sun is already behind the trees here.) The soft light hopefully affected the contrast. I'll get out earlier tomorrow.