Birds in your back yard: Mine first Late Spring Romance: Blue birds!

[Asher Kelman]

These birds were making a lot of noise chasing each other, or so it seems and challenging the bird they saw in the dark window. They would fly off and then take turns to repaint the chairs with white streaks.

These according to my experts, Gary Ayala, Mike Spinak and Brian Lowe are Blue Birds fround commonly in Western United States. I did not plan the pictures. I deny being a bird photographer! My only purpose is to celebrate the beauty and to share. It's hard to believe we can ever call ourselves fashionable in comparison!

All taken with the 1DII and the 70-200 with a x1.4 extender.

http://www.openphotographyforums.com/2007_OPF_AK/BlueJay3_I6E2284.jpg


http://www.openphotographyforums.com/2007_OPF_AK/Bird2_I6E2216d_I6E2222_eye.jpg




Asher

[Asher Kelman]

And now they are engaged!

http://www.openphotographyforums.com/2007_OPF_AK/BlueBirdPair_2I.jpg

Congratulations Blue Birds! Hope you are happy!

Asher

[John_Nevill]

Nice images Asher, I like the individual shots. Do I sense an interest in twitching developing?

These images really do show how useable and well the 70-200 +1.4TC combination works.

[Nicolas Claris]

Nice images Asher, I like the individual shots. Do I sense an interest in twitching developing?

These images really do show how useable and well the 70-200 +1.4TC combination works.

Well the latter looks grainy/noisy...
what ISO did you use Asher?
what crop % ?
was it the 70-200 2.8 IS ?

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Nicolas,

Yes, they look grainy because they are at ISO 640 and no noise removal. Also the last picture was under-exposed. They are almost a 100% crop. I've sent you the file. I am betting that you might improve on them considerably, but only if you have the time. Anyway, I appreciate feedback. I'm just blown away by the beauty of these creatures, just as they are, no hairdresser, no nails being done, no permission or release.

Asher

[Nicolas Claris]

Yes, they look grainy because they are at ISO 640 and no noise removal. Also the last picture was under exposed.

Asher

My good friend Asher, would you mind sharing the RAW file?

[Asher Kelman]

Of course, Nicolas, in fact it was sent ajust 2 minutes before your post! Amazing how a good idea has several parents!
Check your email!

BTW, I think they came just to get engaged or perhaps it was the honeymoon. Anyway, I'm looking around for a nest! I hope the long lens didn't frighten the guys off!
I don't know anything about their habitat. Do they nest in bushes, high up in trees?

Asher

[Asher Kelman]

Post your birds, any from around your place!

Asher

[Kathy Rappaport]

We have a pair of Blue Jays - they are making a nest in the tree behind our yard. I will have to go out tomorrow in the early light and capture them (with lens). They were here last year. When the babies arrive, we will be divebombed while they are protecting them. That limits our backyard barbeques. They can be very fierce. We had a pair at our old house and they did that while I was housetraining a puppy. They kept divebombing the puppy. One of the babies fell out of the nest and I was sure my little dog would kill it. It captured the baby and I screamed - baby released and ran while I captured the puppy and then my neighbor took it in....

[Diane Fields]

Hi Nicolas,

Yes, they look grainy because they are at ISO 640 and no noise removal. Also the last picture was under-exposed. They are almost a 100% crop. I've sent you the file. I am betting that you might improve on them considerably, but only if you have the time. Anyway, I appreciate feedback. I'm just blown away by the beauty of these creatures, just as they are, no hairdresser, no nails being done, no permission or release.

Asher

Asher, I don't know about bluebirds on the west coast. Ours are Eastern Bluebirds (wish I had a shot to share--I don't 'do' birds though I am a long time avid birdwatcher).

Our Eastern Bluebirds like small openings in trees, houses built just for them--and they are fairly territorial with a good spacing between houses--the opening size really has to be chosen for them. I always have several houses with new bluebirds. They eat insects, ours sit on fence posts in the pasture waiting to catch their dinner for their hatchlings. They prefer shorter grass (our pasture grass is almost getting too long for them and they will choose 'lawn grass' over the pasture grass for awhile until we mow again.

They are lovely beautiful birds with a nice song and welcome in our garden and farm anytime.

Very nice shots--I will have to do a bit of research on them on the west coast.

Diane

[John Harper]

Post your birds, any from around your place!

Asher

Asher

Shot of a Robin perched in a tree local to where i live.

EOS1D MKIIN 400mm F5.6L ISO 400 1/320 @ 5.6


John

http://www.portviewfitout.co.uk/robin.jpg

[Don Cohen]

Here's a few from my back yard:

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

http://www.dlcphotography.net/Spring03/1D_01361.jpg

Eastern Bluebird

http://www.dlcphotography.net/Mostly/1D_00318.jpg

House Finch

http://www.dlcphotography.net/FinalD30/1D_00162.jpg