[imtheguy]

I believe that is a female Kestrel and they manage, in most cases I have seen, to pick the most difficult place to perch as they can possibly find.

Not sure what is most impressive...the shot or the perch. Both highly interesting though.

[traderdrew]

Yes! Also, too, traderdrew

Thanks!!

Traderdrew, I can feel that sand between my toes, great shot

Designosophy, great shot!! you made that work!

Thanks guys! Super work with that kingfisher kengoh! Kestrels and kingfishers are two birds that give me a fit because I still have hard times getting close to them even with a 500mm and a 1.5x teleconverter.

[Frogfish]

A small win for this pic
shot with Sigma 500/F4.5

You have some stunningly beautiful birds over there .... it hardly seems fair to have so many in one region ! And I can see how this shot won a competition. Superb. The more I see of your work the more I lust after a Sigma 500/4.5 !!

[stormtech]

Not photos taken with a 300mm+ lens, but photos of a couple......

Today was the first day that the weather was nice enough to be outside for a bit. I've been working on a setup for shooting down by the river over the winter. Since I've had this Rheumatoid Arthritis, I can't hold any of these heavy lenses anymore, and have also found that I can't stand for too long behind a tripod. So I took some of my gear to the riverside at my house and played around with the tripod a bit. I found I can spread the 2 closest legs out far enough to clear the chair, then adjust the 3rd leg to level it up. I am quite happy with this arrangement - but it still sucks getting old! I also have my K-x with my DA 55-300 in my lap for some closer shots of when something pops up near me. Photos courtesy of my wife using our Panasonic Lumix P&S.












Although no wildlife showed while I was down there, there was one brave sole in a Kiak that came paddling down stream.

K-5 - FA*300 f4.5 w/A FA 1.7x TC

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Last edited by stormtech; 03-07-2012 at 12:28 PM.

[dadipentak]

Nice lookin' river--dog too.

[panoguy]

Today was the first day that the weather was nice enough to be outside for a bit. I've been working on a setup for shooting down by the river over the winter.

Now isn't that what "nature photography" is all about? Comfy chair and nice weather with the dog at your side... if you use catch-in-focus you can even pull a hat down over your eyes for a while!
(I kid - it sucks getting old.)

[littledrawe]

So I took some of my gear to the riverside at my house and played around with the tripod a bit. I found I can spread the 2 closest legs out far enough to clear the chair, then adjust the 3rd leg to level it up. I am quite happy with this arrangement - but it still sucks getting old!

I know people feel differently about this but maybe its time to get a feeder or some type of bait or something. You could let some kittens go and wait for the hawks and such to come

[stormtech]

I know people feel differently about this but maybe its time to get a feeder or some type of bait or something. You could let some kittens go and wait for the hawks and such to come

But that's kind of like cheating - not so much as going to a zoo to capture caged animals though......

[panoguy]

But that's kind of like cheating - not so much as going to a zoo to capture caged animals though......

Hey now! Other than the zoo, how else am I going to get a shot of a Red Panda like this (without a trip to China and numerous bribes to get into their protected habitat)?

In keeping with the thread, shot handheld at 500mm:

[stormtech]

Hey now! Other than the zoo, how else am I going to get a shot of a Red Panda like this (without a trip to China and numerous bribes to get into their protected habitat)?

Just jealous panoguy - the only wildlife I have access to is in the wild.

[panoguy]

Just jealous panoguy - the only wildlife I have access to is in the wild.

It's the other way around - I'm jealous of that wild river in your backyard...

[riff]

But that's kind of like cheating

Chance favors the prepared! Imagine for example I wish to photograph black bears.

[Lowell Goudge]

But that's kind of like cheating - not so much as going to a zoo to capture caged animals though......

I've been trying this with squirrels at my bird feeder. The closest I have gotten so far is a shower of feathers that lasted several minutes when a dove had a misadventure with a coppers hawk

[baro-nite]

But that's kind of like cheating - not so much as going to a zoo to capture caged animals though......

It's only cheating if you get caught. I say that semi-seriously; I'm all for such cheating if it results in a compelling image. In fact I intend to venture over to our state zoo sometime in the next month or so, to see if I can fake up any shots that look like they were done in the wild. Of course it's different in photojournalism or documentary/scientific work.

[dadipentak]

I'm all for such cheating if it results in a compelling image.

Can't argue with that.