Birds Birds Non-BIF Thread - Post Your Shots Here

You can't beat a lovely wee Robin.
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  • ILCE-7RM4
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 600.0 mm
  • ƒ/7.1
  • 1/1000 sec
  • ISO 400
 
Robin Red Breast in the brush at Greenwich Park. It is odd to name this bird red breast, when clearly it has an orange breast. When the bird was first named, there was no word for the colour 'orange' in the English language and as 'red' was the closest shade, the little bird was christened 'Robin Red Breast' - at least that is one account I have read. Images captured with the Sony A7iv + Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8 OSS II
robin_brush-1.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/200 sec
  • ISO 1250
robin_brush-3.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/200 sec
  • ISO 2500
robin_brush-6.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/200 sec
  • ISO 2000
robin_brush-9.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/2.8
  • 1/200 sec
  • ISO 1250
 
This Heron on the pond by the Princess of Wales pub Blackheath was standing still on one leg for ages. He then started to move, had a little stretch, then resumed his statue like pose. I particularly like the way the water appears in the background and also his reflection. Sony A7 iv + Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8 OSS II.
crane_pose-1.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 105.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/125 sec
  • ISO 400
crane_pose-2.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 105.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/125 sec
  • ISO 400
crane_pose-3.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 105.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/125 sec
  • ISO 400
crane-1.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/200 sec
  • ISO 640
 
Skating pigeons on the frozen pond outside the Princess of Wales Pub on Blackheath. Sony A7 iv + Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8 OSS II.
pigeons_on_ice-3.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 70.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/80 sec
  • ISO 500
pigeons_on_ice-4.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 70.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/80 sec
  • ISO 400
 
A more sensible pigeon perched on the frozen pond outside the Princess of Wales pub on Blackheath. Sony A7 iv + Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8 OSS II.
pigeon_frozenpond-1.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/11
  • 1/200 sec
  • ISO 1600
 
I've stopped feeding temporarily. All I'm getting is a gang of house sparrows and a nuthatch/downy once in a while. Haven't seen the red bellied or a blue jay or cardinal for weeks, not even a junco. I think the problem is we've had no snow, and I mean literally no snow since an inch or two in December. We should've had around 15" so far in January.

Temperatures remain in the mid-upper 30's to mid 40's, even reaching the 50's now and then. Without snow they have plenty of natural sources and can stay in the woods. We may get an inch or two tomorrow and there's a possibility of four inches or so Wednesday, but with highs above freezing until Thursday it won't stay around. I'll start feeding again when the ground is covered.
 
My shot above was ISO 160, about the lowest I've shot in months. When I set the ISO I got a warning on the camera screen. It said: "Wait, are you sure?" 😁
 
My shot above was ISO 160, about the lowest I've shot in months. When I set the ISO I got a warning on the camera screen. It said: "Wait, are you sure?" 😁
Nice Tim, the joke I say to people it was low light so iso 12800 and the shot looks light enough maybe its the camera or idiot user ;)
 
First attempt at this kind of a shot with my new 70-200 GM II
SONY ILCE-7M4 200 mm f/5.6 1/320 sec ISO 2000 EXP 1
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Pretty sure these are called a striped honey eater. They do the runner on me non stop so I have just never been able to get into a good position to capture one, it could only be me but I'm going to assume that they just don't like all people. I was able to creep up while he had a willy wagtail annoying him so I just want to give a shout out to that willy wagtail for helping me out.

I don't mind the shrub framing so I'm relatively happy with it. Well it's a start so we'll call this a win. 🌞

View attachment 29332
Beautyful shot! The colours the framing and the light! Love it!
 
DSC02482-.jpg
  • ILCE-9M2
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 600.0 mm
  • ƒ/9
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 640
DSC02393.jpg
  • ILCE-9M2
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 600.0 mm
  • ƒ/9
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 1600
DSC02492.jpg
  • ILCE-9M2
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 419.0 mm
  • ƒ/9
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 2500
DSC02455-.jpg
  • ILCE-9M2
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 600.0 mm
  • ƒ/9
  • 1/800 sec
  • ISO 1000
 
Swan on pond beside the Princess of Wales pub on Blackheath. This is a tight crop on the larger of two swans, so I think this is the cob. He also had the larger black knob protruding from the base of his bill, usually indicating a male. Sony A7iv + Sony GM 70-200mm f2.8 OSS II.
swan_bw_IR-10.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/22
  • 1/200 sec
  • ISO 2500
 
Going to give this a go with this one and see what happens.
This is a black drongo at night in a sports park not too far from Taipei -- most curious if it reads data on upload, or if I have to work out what I used and type it in manually!

Lens was 300mm f4.5 AI Nikon manual focus

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  • ILCE-7M4
  • ----
  • 1/50 sec
  • ISO 2500
 
From my walk today. Technically not great, 200% zoom, but I'm having so much fun with my new 70-200 GM II.
Crescent Beach, Canada
I did not manipulate the colours, so I'm not sure why these two shots came out so differently. Or... there could have been two different birds. These shots were taken about 30 seconds apart.
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  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (SEL70200GM2)
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/500 sec
  • ISO 8000
A7402640.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (SEL70200GM2)
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/500 sec
  • ISO 8000
 
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Correction - I went back and checked, and those two shots were taken 6 seconds apart. I can't imagine why the colours are SO different.

Does anybody know why the colour of the bird's head changed in the picture above?

Here are two more shots taken seconds before and after the two above.
A7402633.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (SEL70200GM2)
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/500 sec
  • ISO 1000
A7402640.jpg
  • ILCE-7M4
  • Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (SEL70200GM2)
  • 200.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/500 sec
  • ISO 8000
 
Aha - I found the answer. This appears to be an Anna's Hummingbird.
And I bet you experienced photographers knew this.
The structure of a hummingbird makes full use of light waves and wavelengths to apparently change color.

Their iridescent feathers have layers of air bubbles at the surface which means that the light doesn’t just hit the surface and stay there, like it would with normal feathers. When light hits the surface of a hummingbird:

  • some of it will go right through to the actual surface of the feather.
  • some will be reflected back off the bubbles.
  • some will travel through the bubbles to hit the inner surface of the feather.
  • And yet more will travel through one layer of bubbles to hit the layer underneath.
This combination of reflection and refraction means that the light travels in many different directions and the rays can even cross and combine as well. This creates the illusion that color is changing when in fact all that is happening is that the angle of the light is changing.

If you imagine a puddle of water on the ground with a layer of oil you get a very similar effect. As you move around the paddle you will see the shape and color of the oil change and this is the same with a hummingbird. As it moves on the perch or in flight, the angle of the light hitting the air bubbles and the feathers is constantly changing and this creates the impression that the color of the bird is changing too.

Here are a few examples.

  • If you take the ruby throated hummingbird, some of these actually appear to be orange throated hummingbirds. They aren’t and it simply means that the red throat has moved slightly and the reflection and refraction of the light waves has made it appear to change color.
  • Anna’s hummingbird is another species which appears to regularly change color. Their distinctive red crown can look brown or grey but in the right light and at the right angle the wonderful red color re-appears.
  • If you are lucky enough to see a hummingbird on its perch slowly move around it and you will find that it will change from grey to red or from purple to black with every move you make.
As the hummer has so many feathers which are so closely packed together, it’s no surprise they can give you a real good show of different colors. You will find that on a bright day or in good light the colors of a hummingbird appear a lot more vibrant than they do on a dull cloudy day.

Source: https://birdwatchingbuzz.com/do-hummingbirds-change-color/
 
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Aha - I found the answer. This appears to be an Anna's Hummingbird.
And I bet you experienced photographers knew this.
Nope, new one on me. See? It was worth getting up this morning, I learned something!

But I think maybe it's in love with you...
 
Here is one of our blue magpies, which had come down to check out the cat food left out for the strays. There is another very similar one, with a grey-ish underbelly that is actually an "import", but this one is native to here.
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Here is one of our blue magpies, which had come down to check out the cat food left out for the strays. There is another very similar one, with a grey-ish underbelly that is actually an "import", but this one is native to here.View attachment 30498
I've never seen such a blue magpie! You can make out the black and white in the bottom of the tail. I'll keep my eye out for this amazing bird next time I'm in Taiwan! Interesting member of the Corvid family, if you have any more pictures of this wonderful crow, please add them to my Corvid thread.
 
A little female reed bunting on our local common today.

reed-bunting-DSC09168-2048px.jpg
  • ILCE-1
  • FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
  • 600.0 mm
  • ƒ/6.3
  • 1/2000 sec
  • ISO 640
 
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