Birds Birds not in Flight Thread - Post Your Shots Here

[evacguy]

We were having breakfast outside at the Limewood Hotel in the New Forest, when this little Robin decide to check us out. It took him a little while to get used to us, and I had sufficient time to get my camera out of my sling bag and change my lens. He seemed to like my camera and so came a little closer. You can just about make out my reflection in his eye. When he decided he liked us, he started singing. An absolutely delightful little creature.

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/100 sec
• ISO 6400

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/100 sec
• ISO 4000

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/100 sec
• ISO 4000

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/100 sec
• ISO 4000

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/11
• 1/100 sec
• ISO 3200

 

[THXGEEK]

What awesome framing and focus!

#3 & #4 really do it for me!

 

[Richard A]

Great shots. I have been doing a bit of research on finding Robins here so I will have to plan some day trips in the next few weeks.

 

[evacguy]

What awesome framing and focus!

#3 & #4 really do it for me!

Thanks Craig, he was a very cute boy, and sang his little heart out while we were having breakfast.

 

[evacguy]

Great shots. I have been doing a bit of research on finding Robins here so I will have to plan some day trips in the next few weeks.

HI Richard. I don't recall seeing Robins when I was growing up in Australia, lots of sparrows, but no Robins. I guess they are bigger than the European Robin we have in the UK? The American Robin is quite large. Good luck hunting.

 

[Richard A]

These are Red Capped Robins and they are quite small. I believe they only weigh about 9 grams. I saw one when I was walking back to my car after photographing the waterfall I put up on here a couple of months ago. Apparently they are quite hard to photograph because they perch on low branches & fly down to grab bugs on the ground and back to their perch again. They aren't uncommon but they aren't easy to find either. I took a photo of one many years ago with one of my old Pentax cameras but it was quite far away. If I can find it, I'll post it here somewhere. I don't remember any Robins when I was growing up in Sydney either. Where in Australia did you grow up?

 

[evacguy]

These are Red Capped Robins and they are quite small. I believe they only weigh about 9 grams. I saw one when I was walking back to my car after photographing the waterfall I put up on here a couple of months ago. Apparently they are quite hard to photograph because they perch on low branches & fly down to grab bugs on the ground and back to their perch again. They aren't uncommon but they aren't easy to find either. I took a photo of one many years ago with one of my old Pentax cameras but it was quite far away. If I can find it, I'll post it here somewhere. I don't remember any Robins when I was growing up in Sydney either. Where in Australia did you grow up?

I grew up in Melbourne, moved to Newcastle NSW to do my PhD and then back to Melbourne where I worked for BHP for a couple of years before moving to the UK in 1985 - so my first 28 years were in Australia and the last 41 years in the UK.

 

[evacguy]

Another Robin, this time this little guy perched up outside our room (The Apple Store) in the Walled Garden of the Pig in the South Downs hotel in West Sussex. He would appear in mornings and evenings and sing his little heart out.

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
• 300.0 mm
• ƒ/3.5
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 500

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
• 300.0 mm
• ƒ/3.5
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 640

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
• 300.0 mm
• ƒ/3.5
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 500

 

[Richard A]

I grew up in Melbourne, moved to Newcastle NSW to do my PhD and then back to Melbourne where I worked for BHP for a couple of years before moving to the UK in 1985 - so my first 28 years were in Australia and the last 46 years in the UK.

I was in the UK & Europe for about 4 months in 1985. Travelled around Europe by train.

So, after a bit of further investigation, there appears to be two Red Robins around here. The Scarlet Robin, which inhabits the more coastal areas and the Red Capped Robin, which inhabits the drier more inland bushy areas. Both of these habitats are within an hours drive of here so hopefully I'll get a chance to do a bit of exploring over the next couple of months.

This is a Scarlet Robin that I took with my old Pentax *istD & 50-200mm zoom. It's not a great photo. These things don't sit in one place for long and this is the only shot I got. I have learned a lot since getting my A7R5 though. This was taken at Deep Creek Conservation Park in 2008. Unfortunately, this area is still closed after a bush fire went through there in February.

 

[evacguy]

I was in the UK & Europe for about 4 months in 1985. Travelled around Europe by train.

So, after a bit of further investigation, there appears to be two Red Robins around here. The Scarlet Robin, which inhabits the more coastal areas and the Red Capped Robin, which inhabits the drier more inland bushy areas. Both of these habitats are within an hours drive of here so hopefully I'll get a chance to do a bit of exploring over the next couple of months.

This is a Scarlet Robin that I took with my old Pentax *istD & 50-200mm zoom. It's not a great photo. These things don't sit in one place for long and this is the only shot I got. I have learned a lot since getting my A7R5 though. This was taken at Deep Creek Conservation Park in 2008. Unfortunately, this area is still closed after a bush fire went through there in February.

View attachment 88058

Thanks for the info Richard. That is a very red breast on that Robin. I will keep my eye out for them on my upcoming trip.

As an aside, the European Robin clearly does not have a red breast but an orange one. However, when it was named there was no European word for ORANGE. The colour was described as yellow—red, and as it was more on the red side, it was eventually shortened to red, hence Robin Red Breast. And the American Robin, which is much larger, the size of a thrush, is actually not a Robin, but is called that because of it’s red breast.

 

[Richard A]

Thanks for the info Richard. That is a very red breast on that Robin. I will keep my eye out for them on my upcoming trip.

As an aside, the European Robin clearly does not have a red breast but an orange one. However, when it was named there was no European word for ORANGE. The colour was described as yellow—red, and as it was more on the red side, it was eventually shortened to red, hence Robin Red Breast. And the American Robin, which is much larger, the size of a thrush, is actually not a Robin, but is called that because of it’s red breast.

Yes, they are bright red. The Red capped variety is very similar but the top of its head is red also. There a couple of others also. One is just black and white but is endangered and rarely seen and the other is grey with a white throat and yellow breast but as far as I know, doesn't inhabit this area. Also, it appears they are not really related to the European Robins either, although they are a similar size.