Sheesh! It's been too long. How about some birds?

[Maestro]

Here are some Dickcissels. They are about the size of sparrows and inhabit the middle US states from Canada to Mexico. I wrote them off as sparrows at one time, but they are quite different. Instead of just documenting the birds I see, I have really begun to work on actually composing the shot and taking into account the rule of thirds. Sometimes, I can, other times I can't because the subject doesn't play nice. :)
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This next set is of a lone Loggerhead Shrike.
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And finally, ever seen a Common Nighthawk? These guys are evening birds that are more related to owls than anything else. They are insect eaters. I found this guy on one of my bike rides. I went back to where he was and he was still there.
1. This one was perched on some metal awning that was an old entrance way to a ranch.

2. This is a juvenile nighthawk I photographed at dusk. It was almost completely dark and I actually got too close so now the angle is bad, but hey, at least it's perched on a limb and not a ugly, rusted pole.


And did you know that common birds are disappearing at an alarming rate according to an Audubon report?

[flamin lib]

1. I really enjoy your work. Wildlife photography is a whole 'nother

animal--pardon the pun. It isn't just being proficient in your craft it's being aware of your subject matter and how to interact with the environment and the subject.

Having done a lot of this kind of photography and having some of it published I'm highly offended when someone refers to a picture as a "capture" as if it's a fluke of right place/right time. Besides that the quality of image now is more demanding than with film work. Images made with K25 or K64 (the only film many publications would accept) could be forgiven minor flaws, but no more. It's gotta' be perfect now. No camera movement however slight, no granular softening and no compromise on flaws in the subject are tolerated anymore.

I say again, you do good work. Your purely documentary stuff is good and the really good stuff is, well, REALLY GOOD.

As an aside, the night hawk's common name in S Texas is Bull Bat. In mating season the male climbs to 500 feet or so and dives at speeds close to 100 MPH, spreading his wings at the last minute and making a ROARRRRRR sound--like a Bull in heat. Loved to watch them as a child. Them and the scissor tailed fly catcher! The maneuvers of the fly catcher were amazing; stop on a dime, reverse direction and performing all sorts of aerobatics modern jets can only dream of.

Ah, your images bring such fond memories . . .

[Maestro]

2. Thanks flamin lib!

I agree wholeheartedly that wildlife photography is a completely different ball of wax. Just today I spent around an hour in the field stalking painted buntings. They would not give me a good perch for nothing. Plus the harsh sun was washing out the wonderful colors. I'll post some of the shots if I can find one that is decent.

Thanks again for the kind words. I might start some sort of hobby business on the side later but for now I still have much to learn.

[flamin lib]

3. Painted Buntings? You got Painted Buntings! Man we gotta' get

together. Ya' know they're still being sold in Mexico as caged birds 'cause of their plumage? Make parakeets look like wimps they do.

edit to add

Set up a LOT of feeders in my back yard and got a House Finch along with more than a dozen other species. House Finch--'bout the same size & configuration as a sparrow but with red on head, back & breast. Having a bunch of fun watching the activity, but not much good for photography as it's all too staged and not in a natural environment.

[Maestro]

4. Here is a male house finch for ya!

I have them pretty much year round in North Central Texas.



And since you mentioned the scissor-tailed flycatcher, here are a few.







:hi:

Oh and any time you want to get together. Painted buntings and I have a love/hate relationship right now. I love the way they look but I hate how they perch for me. It's like they are playing with me. When they leave the utility lines they dive into brush where I can't see them. They come out and go right back to the utility line. :banghead:

[Call Me Wesley]

5. Great as usual, but I already said this. ;)

Gorgeous shots of the flycatcher, wonderful DOF. Do you ever consider selling your photos to some bird-related magazines? If not, I'd stromgly advise you to do so; there aren't many specialized in this wildlife photography. There might be a nice niche for you.

Oh, and a sad update on the honeybuzzard (I'm just using this term right now) I posted a few pics earlier. Seems like his nerve is damaged; his wing is still limp. :(

[Maestro]

9. I'm sorry to hear about the honey buzzard.

Could it be taken to a rehabilitator or is it already there? I can't remember.

I have thought about selling some of my pics. Most aren't good enough, but I do have a few that I think are pretty good. We'll see. :hi:

[Call Me Wesley]

10. My BIL is the rehabilitator for injured birds of prey in the state here.

Therefore it's so easy for me to get all the close-ups. ;) He's still waiting for any improvement for a few days, but if he can't fly, he will be put to sleep unfortunately.

I'm sure you'll be able to sell some. Good vibes flowing for that! :hi:

[Maestro]

11. Now that is cool.

Hey, tell the BIL that I just got some good pics of a pair of Mississippi Kites. They are very handsome diurnal raptors.

Edit: I hope the honey buzzard recovers. I would hate to see it put down, but I understand why.

[Eurobabe]

6. Great pictures Maestro, look at the size of the bug

that bird has caught in the second photo! That's a real meal.

I find myself looking for areas now, where I can go sit and take some bird pix, although everything is so foreign to me over here, I don't know what I am looking at?! Bar the usual suspects: mallards, geese, loons, swans. I need to get a good European bird book. :P

[Maestro]

7. Yeah, he flew down from the tree after I took the

shot and made short order of the grasshopper. Yummy!

[pipoman]

8. More great birding here

Great shots, well done! We have a family of pheasants and a covey of bobwhite quail on our little farm. I have tried to get some good shots to no avail yet, I think it is a patience thing for me. I got a terrible case of chiggers while sitting trying to shoot them a week or so ago, I'm not real anxious for a retry quite yet.

[Maestro]

12. Thanks pipoman.

Bobwhites are very handsome quails. I hope to be able to take a picture of some one day. My patience with the camera is getting better but only slightly. The heat or cold plus biting insects and the ever present threat of stepping in poison ivy or oak makes me anxious and very impatient at times. I'm highly allergic to poison ivy and oak.