[Squier]

Hey i just did a moonie too - just earlier this evening

SW 120 / 600mm f5 / ISO 200 / 1/250th

[imtheguy]

It seems from researching the sandhill crane that you probably captured a Florida Sandhill crane which is endangered due to habitat loss. The most common sandhill crane is one that they all were named for when first seen in Nebraska's sandhill along the North Platte river. That is where I first saw one when we lived in that area.

True. In 15 days of checking out ponds, rivers and fields I only ran across the one pair (the male is shown) although pretty much everything else was repeated. I was told in the mid-West they are known as "prarie chicken" but lordy thats a big chicken.

[kacansas03]

True. In 15 days of checking out ponds, rivers and fields I only ran across the one pair (the male is shown) although pretty much everything else was repeated. I was told in the mid-West they are known as "prarie chicken" but lordy thats a big chicken.

No, that's not right, it is still a crane out here. What I do not understand is why the cranes that are the first one's found out here who were down around Mexico when discovered are now called the Lesser Sandhill Crane(they are just as big) and then Florida cranes and several others. I guess cranes exist all over the world and are not friendly.
A prairie chicken is closer to a grouse than a crane, About 30 to 40% the size of a chicken and in my opinion not even good to eat. Although I would if I was very hungry.
I once saw a lard gathering of water birds off the end of a point of land on Lake Milford in Kansas (North east) where there were ducks, geese, terns, gulls and 1 crane towering over the others as my sailboat came around the point into the teeth of a strong southerly wind in 1988 as the remnants of hurricane Hugo blew into the area. That night we tore apart 3 out of 8 1/2 inch mooring lines plus scratched the hull of our new 28 foot sailing yacht forever. It was quite a ride. I decided I didn't like hurricanes. LOL
Alan W.

[imtheguy]

No, that's not right, it is still a crane out here. What I do not understand is why the cranes that are the first one's found out here who were down around Mexico when discovered are now called the Lesser Sandhill Crane(they are just as big) and then Florida cranes and several others. I guess cranes exist all over the world and are not friendly.
A prairie chicken is closer to a grouse than a crane, About 30 to 40% the size of a chicken and in my opinion not even good to eat. Although I would if I was very hungry.
I once saw a lard gathering of water birds off the end of a point of land on Lake Milford in Kansas (North east) where there were ducks, geese, terns, gulls and 1 crane towering over the others as my sailboat came around the point into the teeth of a strong southerly wind in 1988 as the remnants of hurricane Hugo blew into the area. That night we tore apart 3 out of 8 1/2 inch mooring lines plus scratched the hull of our new 28 foot sailing yacht forever. It was quite a ride. I decided I didn't like hurricanes. LOL
Alan W.

I was not clear. The term thrown at me by a hunter as "prarie chicken" or "chicken of the prarie" was just a reference to the taste and value as game meat. Still a crane though.

You don't like hurricanes...in KANSAS?? I invite you to Virginia Beach or Florida next September but please leave the tornadoes in Kansas. At least with hurricanes we have up to a week to prepare.

[kacansas03]

I was not clear. The term thrown at me by a hunter as "prarie chicken" or "chicken of the prarie" was just a reference to the taste and value as game meat. Still a crane though.

You don't like hurricanes...in KANSAS?? I invite you to Virginia Beach or Florida next September but please leave the tornadoes in Kansas. At least with hurricanes we have up to a week to prepare.

Oh, please don't misunderstand, I live in Minnesota now. About as far North as my Wife could drag me. Duluth as out of the running, period. But I do visit lake Superior and look at that inland ocean occasionally and even have friends who sail there but I am chicken(doubt I would taste good though, except to mosquitoes). I don't actually fear tornadoes or hurricanes but I do like to avoid them. But in MN you get a night when the skies are clearing off nicely and a full moon, plus a close moon, and the darn thing is in the trees on my lot to the south of my house and will be for about another hour or 2 and it's already under 26 degrees out. Now If I still had my K100D I would try getting a shot or 2 but it's busted and I had better not risk the K-x for I understand the cold can damage the sensor, darn. Did get the prices for the basic pieces to repair my K100D totaling about $75 but something else has put black specks on the focusing screen from above I discovered today from that fall it took. So next I see if I can clean that up and then I might try the repair, If I have the courage to take apart a camera that works but doesn't look so good.
Alan W.

[Squier]

Anyone know why the forum software makes the photos look blurred ?

[SteveM]

Nice shots Unlocker and Squire.....thought I would try a shot of the moon as well considering it's the closest it'll be for some time. I'm wondering if a moon that isn't full might show more of the detail?

K5 A*1200



and with the 2X-L converter..... I usually find the 1.4X-L doesn't drop much in the way of sharpness, but the 2X does seem to drop quite a bit....

[m8o]

For once an astronomical event visible to the human eye lived-up to its hype...

Since I left my tripod in my NYC apartment a few months back, I had to find something to serve as a platform at my home on LI. I ended-up using the banister of my stairs to my deck. Angle and positioning was perfect. Tho I had to wait until after midnight until that could be the case.

Sigma 300mm f/2.8 EX DG + 2X TC | f/6.3 | 1/250s | ISO-80 | Cropped to 1540px then re-sized to 1024px to be suitable for posting

[SteveM]

wow.....nice and sharp m8o

[m8o]

wow.....nice and sharp m8o

noticeably moreso than the other dozen or so I took in the same session. And if I'm remembering correctly, oddly, my focus point was a bit down and to the right of the moon in black space on this one.

[Squier]

Excellent moon shots here - well done guys

[G_Money]

Well, the moon was obscured by heavy clouds last night, ruling out any lunar shots. I tried out the A*600 with a 2X-L converter on this cardinal. I'm not sure if this is any better than cropping an image from just the lens, or perhaps the lens + a 1.4X-L converter.

[imtheguy]

Late, but I recover slowly from road trips. So many moon shots I might as well drop one from my trip even though it was a little misty. I don't shoot full moons because I like the detail I get from almost full.
A*400/2.8 + F1.7x

[dadipentak]

Well, done, Lee!

[kacansas03]

Late, but I recover slowly from road trips. So many moon shots I might as well drop one from my trip even though it was a little misty. I don't shoot full moons because I like the detail I get from almost full.
A*400/2.8 + F1.7x

Oh yeah that is another good one. When I moon gaze through my telescope I prefer less than full moon for it is fun to look at the mountains an craters at the edge of the moon's terminator line. With a powerful eyepiece one can get just a small arc of the moon in focus. Fun stuff.
Yes I know I could mount one of the cameras to the telescope but it is not that good of a scope and the added weight might seriously strain the little motors in the drive unit much less all the plastic gears. Plus I don't really like mirrored lens photos which is what they would be from my 1000mm telescope. As soon as I feel healthy again I plan to do some more with my 800mm and teleconverters to see what kind of IQ I can get from them. If a 2X gives good IQ with the K-x I may get a 3X for astro work. I really want a 1200mm lens but that is on the list for the next bout of LBA illness. Now I have CBBA(camera body buying addiction) centering on a craving for a K-5. Drool. Oh, sorry I made your computers slimy.
Another item that has eluded me lately is any Ebay listing for the MTO(I think) 1000mm f5.6 mirror lens. That one I would try for today. I have seen them on occasion in the past but not lately. I saw an article once saying that these plus even faster version were made for East Bloc military as early night scopes. I sure don't know.
Alan W.