Assignment #73: Birds

[matthew]

Maybe we're all getting a little carried away with this. Admittedly a few birds did act strange, but that's no reason to...
- Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds

In the wild or in the city, birds are plentiful and provide a popular subject for photographers. Presenting plenty of colour and variety, spotting and identifying them is a hobby in itself. For this assignment, let's look at the challenges involved in photographing these flighty creatures.

[Rabid Penguin]

A galah behind bars.

[Irma]

Sometimes I feel like bird shooting is like fishing... One day you get lots of good ones and one day it just doesn't happend, because there are no birds or the light fails. Well, I've actually never been fishing but .... somehow I related both activities.

We had nice weather few days ago and I gave it a try to my birds in the front garden. I started behind the window and I ended up parking my car directly to the feeders and shooting from there. It was much easier and I got better pictures.

I haven't got the time to post process all my pictures but here is what I have so far.

With the morning light from the window.




later the same day... from the car.

[matthew]

RP, I like the 'behind bars' theme. The way the bird's looking away means that there's no escape for the viewer, either -- we have to see the cage.

Irma, all three are really nice, but the combination of colours in #2 really stands out for me.

I've recently started working in the very centre of the tourist / retail part of the city, where the birds often look like this:



...so I'm going out later today to see if I can find anything prettier.

[matthew]

I managed to get a few photos of birds from today's outing. I have no idea what these ones are, since they're not gulls or pigeons:





Goose chase:



Another goose chase:

[Rabid Penguin]

What kind of bird is that last one? I don't recognise it

[craig]

Thought I would throw this one in, I took this in Yelapa, Mexico. (about 40 mins south of Puerto Vallartaby boat)
I have not had much luck with wild life photos and was fairly pleased with this one, as the Egret had quite the speed on him running in and out of the surf. Please let me know what you thnk - thanks!!

[Irma]

Matthew.
Great picture of urban bird, your first one. I like it a lot. It looks to me like a bit oily...
I don't know much about the name of the birds but your second series looks great too. He/she looks like a real bird watcher.

Craig.
Very beautiful bird too. I find a bit overexposed but I understand well that with the bright and beautiful Mexican sun.... it is a bit difficult to keep your exposure right, isn't it?
Did you take a tour by boat from Puerto Vallarta? When I was there, I heard there was some kind of safari tours to the swamps to see alligators and some other animals.. First we would go by jeep and the by boat.

RP I forgot to comment on your picture.
I like very much pictures with dark background and the subject coming out from the darkness. The bird is lovely but what I like the most is the light in the cage.... lovely lines!!
It looks to me like a lightroom post process here??

[Irma]

Two more I got from my window.




I had a series of this woodpecker. I thought about a triptich so I could show more of the series.

[Rabid Penguin]

I like the triptych. I remember the first time I ever heard a woodpecker in Seattle. I'd always thought they'd be like "tap, tap, tap, tap", but instead they sound like machine guns!

[Irma]

Thanks RP...

I didn't know the woodpecker until I came to live here. It was so beautiful the first time I heard it. I didn't know what it was, and G showed me the bird. This is the first time I see it so close and my first good picture of him. I got another even closer but somehow the colors are not nice... really a pity ...

[Soundy]

Woodpeckers are beautiful as long as they aren't hammering on your metal chimney pipe at 5am...

[soldier4Christ]

In my tree

[NT73]

Bald Eagle, not so bald really.

[texastarkus]

Taken July 16, 2008 just before sunrise - Port Aransas, Tex. Let me know what you think....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/t...oard01.jpg

[enviroguy]

A great catch with nice composition. The slight blur of the wings adds a realistic feeling of motion. The dramatic colour in the sky is a real bonus in this photo. Regards.....Dennis

[aine-caitlin]

Somehow I totally missed this thread the first time it went around. There are so many amazing shots here I can't pick a favorite. I love the variety. I also enjoy photographing birds, not that I'm any good at it, but it's a fun challenge. Here are some shots I've taken over the course of the last year.









Oh yes, and I love these birds too....Canada's Snowbirds at the Millington, Tennessee Airshow