Birds Purple Martins

-ST- · Jun 3, 2023

It was a good day to catch some Purple Martins.
Watching the air show

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/500 sec
ISO 125

Tilt your head

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 640

Swooping in low

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 400

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 500

Coming in for a landing

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
200.0 mm
ƒ/5.6
1/2000 sec
ISO 640

This made me laugh

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
200.0 mm
ƒ/5.6
1/2000 sec
ISO 640

Touch down

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
200.0 mm
ƒ/5.6
1/2000 sec
ISO 640

-ST- · Jun 3, 2023

The Purple Martins were busy today.

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/500 sec
ISO 250

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/500 sec
ISO 160

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 640

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 640

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
200.0 mm
ƒ/5.6
1/4000 sec
ISO 640

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/500 sec
ISO 125

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/500 sec
ISO 125

ILCE-1
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 1000

-ST- · Jun 6, 2023

It was windy this morning, so the Purple Martins weren't flying as much. I get a kick out of birds sharing a perch.

ILCE-1
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS + 2X Teleconverter
1,200.0 mm
ƒ/13
1/2000 sec
ISO 16000

-ST- · Jun 13, 2023

Purple Martins
With a height of 7 to 8 inches and a wingspan up to 15 inches, purple martins are the largest swallows in North America and one of the largest of the world's roughly 90 swallow and martin bird species. Source: https://www.thespruce.com/fun-facts-about-purple-martins-387110

ILCE-1
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS + 2X Teleconverter
636.0 mm
ƒ/13
1/4000 sec
ISO 6400

ILCE-1
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS + 2X Teleconverter
400.0 mm
ƒ/13
1/4000 sec
ISO 6400

Ralph · Jun 24, 2023

That 1st shot showing it in that colour was an Oh Wow to me.
It looked stunning sitting there looking that way.
I would be very happy with them all, nice work.

-ST- · May 28, 2025

ILCE-1M2
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 800

ILCE-1M2
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 800

ILCE-1M2
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 800

-ST- · Jun 1, 2025

Purple Martin collecting nesting materials.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 1250

ILCE-1M2
Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G)
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 1250

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 1250

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 640

-ST- · Jun 18, 2025

This morning

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 8000

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 8000

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 8000

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 320

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 3200

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 500

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 4000

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 5000

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/4000 sec
ISO 1000

THXGEEK · Jun 19, 2025

I like that you've captured the pair - one with wings up and the other wings down.

Very nice!

-ST- · Aug 9, 2025

Please help me pick one or a few that convey the sense of the story.

1. Here's a Purple Martin with breakfast.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/500 sec
ISO 400

2. It pauses, perhaps to chow down, but not before another one has noticed.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

3.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

4. A moment's peace

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

5.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/500 sec
ISO 400

6. A moment later

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

7. This isn't about sharing

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

8.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

9.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

10.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

11. The would be thief misses the mark and our diner seizes an opportunity

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

12.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

13. Making a break for it

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

14.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

15.

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

16. Escape

ILCE-1M2
FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
600.0 mm
ƒ/6.3
1/2000 sec
ISO 1250

Phil Vetra · Aug 10, 2025

Yup a lot of calories in those dragon's.

-ST- · Sunday at 4:44 AM

Overcast, in the rain, first attempt at catching a Purple Martin in flight.

ILCE-1M2
FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
600.0 mm
ƒ/5.6
1/2000 sec
ISO 8000

-ST- · 2026-05-19T01:01:35+0100

Purple Martin vs Tree Swallow — Aerial Posturing at 15+ Metres

A quiet morning at Crescent Beach today. Not many swallows around, but the few that were active stayed high — most of the action was 15–20 metres above ground. I tried the 300 millimetre f/2.8 without the teleconverter today and it made tracking much easier than yesterday.

These frames are very deep crops (roughly one‑sixteeth of the full frame), but the behaviour was interesting enough to share. A Purple Martin and a Tree Swallow met mid‑air and did a brief face‑off — wings flared, beaks open, both holding their line for a moment before breaking away. Classic early‑season aerial posturing between species competing for the same feeding airspace.

ILCE-1M2
FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
300.0 mm
ƒ/2.8
1/4000 sec
ISO 1000

ILCE-1M2
FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
300.0 mm
ƒ/2.8
1/4000 sec
ISO 1000

ILCE-1M2
FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
300.0 mm
ƒ/2.8
1/4000 sec
ISO 1000

ILCE-1M2
FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
300.0 mm
ƒ/2.8
1/4000 sec
ISO 1000

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