Woodchat Shrike at Chew Valley Lake 2013
This gorgeous female woodchat shrike has been around for a week now and I've been fortunate enough to have a couple of sessions photographing it. This is a lifer for me and is a complete delight to watch as it flits about catching mainly bees. Apparently they can take larger prey items including small birds even though it isn't much bigger than a sparrow itself. One person I've spoken to has seen it impale insects on thorns, saving them for later, but I haven't been that lucky.
Comments
Hi Ian
Nothing very clever about shot 9 (the shrike in flight). I set the focus point to the top left of the frame and the shutter speed to allow me a chance of freezing the action and then pressed the shutter release when the birdie dived down. No focusing was going on during the shot and it's not really that sharp. I also did this a lot of times and this was the best of the bunch. In really bright light, I'd have had the shutter speed higher and the f stop higher to increase the depth of field. Ideally the bird would also have been flying parallel to the focus plane but that's asking a lot in a wild set up like this.
Cheers
Tim
Nothing very clever about shot 9 (the shrike in flight). I set the focus point to the top left of the frame and the shutter speed to allow me a chance of freezing the action and then pressed the shutter release when the birdie dived down. No focusing was going on during the shot and it's not really that sharp. I also did this a lot of times and this was the best of the bunch. In really bright light, I'd have had the shutter speed higher and the f stop higher to increase the depth of field. Ideally the bird would also have been flying parallel to the focus plane but that's asking a lot in a wild set up like this.
Cheers
Tim
Ian Thorp(non-registered)
Excellent images.
The 9th image is typically a situation where focus is a problem, on mine the branch would be in focus not the bird!!
Regards Ian
The 9th image is typically a situation where focus is a problem, on mine the branch would be in focus not the bird!!
Regards Ian
Nicky(non-registered)
Ohhh, stunning bird Tim and marvelous shots. I want a book of your photos! x
Liz Ardman(non-registered)
Lovely photos. Tim
Lovely bird.
But you wouldn't want it as a neighbour. Well not if you were a bird. Vicious.
Lovely bird.
But you wouldn't want it as a neighbour. Well not if you were a bird. Vicious.
No comments posted.
Loading...
© WildImaging - All Rights Reserved