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 12/21/2009 09:12:19 PM · #26
Originally posted by sfalice:

But what you don't have is a nice little hummingbird.
( I was astonished when an English ornithologist friend told me of your lack.)


Considering that they're American birds, it would be very surprising to see them in England.

When I was camping on the Grand Canyon North Rim, I saw one. It stopped and hovered a couple of feet from me, then just as quickly sped off.

I might be able to get a sparrow for this challenge...
 12/21/2009 09:41:29 PM · #27
I hear that there is a bird in a pear tree.
12/21/2009 09:43:26 PM · #28
Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:
I hear that there is a bird in a pear tree.

Hmmm, there are pear trees in the Delta here in Northern California.
Should be easy to see birds, as I think the pear trees are deciduous.
12/21/2009 10:01:11 PM · #29
Accidents happen.
12/21/2009 10:10:49 PM · #30
The family votes are in for mine... they love it, which is weird because my dad usually thinks I overprocess. I'm excited, let's get this thing rolling!
 12/21/2009 11:19:59 PM · #31
I was hoping for some snow from the storm that is coming. But it appears we are going to be on the warm side of the storm and have to deal with possible flooding on Christmas eve. But I will enter this challenge!

Matt
 12/22/2009 04:50:53 AM · #32
Hey, I've got my lucky entry in, and it's not a sparrow (though it is a fellow passerine).
 12/22/2009 09:03:07 AM · #33
Does it have to be a picture of a just one bird?
 12/22/2009 09:14:02 AM · #34
Originally posted by ChikaZAWa:
Does it have to be a picture of a just one bird?

Hmmm....more than one would be a group portrait, wouldn't it? :-)
 12/22/2009 05:49:45 PM · #35
Originally posted by sfalice:

But what you don't have is a nice little hummingbird.
( I was astonished when an English ornithologist friend told me of your lack.)


I could spray paint a sparrow if it helped . .

:- )

12/22/2009 05:52:45 PM · #36
My bird doesn't hum, it sings (because it knows the words). ;-Þ
 12/22/2009 05:57:21 PM · #37
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by sfalice:
But what you don't have is a nice little hummingbird.
( I was astonished when an English ornithologist friend told me of your lack.)


But who could possibly photograph a hummer without a feeder to bait her? I mean, I'm sure it's been done, but gawd, what a task that would be...

R.


It's not as hard as you might think. There are times of the year when I see a lot of them. I suppose South Florida is on their migratory route which helps a lot, but I couldn't tell you where one single hummingbird feeder is.

I'm not properly equipped to compete for hummingbird shots, so I won't be entering one. But if I wanted to get shots of hummingbirds I would set up around the trees and bushes that they visit for food. I definitely know where the hummingbirds hang out around here but they are not around any artificial feeders that I know of.

Message edited by author 2009-12-22 18:08:24.
 12/22/2009 07:27:21 PM · #38
We have hummers all over the garden in season. In addition to snorkeling in certain flowers they like drinking/washing in the direct spray of the hose. AND they hover REALLY close when I don't have my camera. No feeders anywhere.
 12/24/2009 08:22:46 AM · #39
So today I have seen -
A Jay flying across the road & landing in a tree where another was already sat. Nice snowy backdrop
A woodpecker flying across the road landing in a tree in that typical woodpecker pose. Again snowy field behind
Hundreds of sparrows, starlings etc
A large greyish bird of prey hovering over someones garden. Blue sky background

Now guess what all these sightings have in common - yup you got it, NO CAMERA & I WAS DRIVING!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH
Whats the bet that tomorrow or saturday when I have time & inclination to go on a bird mission with camera in hand they will all be hiding somewhere else entirely
 12/24/2009 08:29:03 AM · #40
yep they'll be hiding from the rain or something!!!! lol same for me haven't had time to get out except for a half hour and saw nothing plans for christmas day look all wet!
 12/24/2009 06:00:55 PM · #41
Son of a... I went out to scout a wildlife area with the family. It was a really foggy day and as we were walking back along a gravel road an American Bittern bolted out of the grass about 10 feet from us. I had my 300mm with the 1.4x extender on it, got it in my sights, got the focus, snapped some shots and...had somehow switched the setting to manual so the shots were completely overexposed (plus it was 1/6th at f/29).

This is what I got...



...could have been sooo cool!
 12/24/2009 06:09:34 PM · #42
Just to make clear what I meant; my experience of hummers is they sip, dart, sip, dart very unpredictably. So I'd imagined that by the time you tracked one and lined up, he'd be on his way elsewhere. As opposed to baiting one, where you can set up and prefocus on something you know they'll visit. Apparently I was wrong...

Anyway, miracle of miracles, for the first time in my DPC career I actually GOT a usable bird picture in the time frame of a bird challenge, so I'm happy :-)

R.
 12/24/2009 06:32:36 PM · #43
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Anyway, miracle of miracles, for the first time in my DPC career I actually GOT a usable bird picture in the time frame of a bird challenge, so I'm happy :-)

R.


Good for you Bear - so far the weather here has been too lousy to even think about going out looking for birds, so unless it changes I will be sitting this one out :- (
 12/24/2009 06:49:41 PM · #44
I wish I'd caught the heron that ate ALL of the fish in my pond today. I was too late. By the time I went to feed them, there was nothing left but orange scales all over the pond bottom. :(
 12/24/2009 06:57:07 PM · #45
Originally posted by Pug-H:
My bird doesn't hum, it sings (because it knows the words). ;-Þ


Brilliant...
 12/24/2009 07:00:07 PM · #46
Originally posted by idnic:
I wish I'd caught the heron that ate ALL of the fish in my pond today. I was too late. By the time I went to feed them, there was nothing left but orange scales all over the pond bottom. :(


I just replied on Facebook as well.

When I build ponds that aren't at least three feet deep, I provide a shelter or two for the fish to hide under when a bird arrives by placing a 2' by 3' piece of flagstone on two smaller boulders. That way the fish can go below the flagstone 'table' for safe haven from the heron.

Otherwise, they are simply 'fish in a barrel'. So stop feeding the herons your poor fish!
 12/24/2009 08:49:22 PM · #47
Originally posted by idnic:
I wish I'd caught the heron that ate ALL of the fish in my pond today. I was too late. By the time I went to feed them, there was nothing left but orange scales all over the pond bottom. :(


So sorry for your loss. I wonder if this would have been considered a feeder though?

Message edited by author 2009-12-24 22:35:54.
 12/24/2009 10:28:34 PM · #48
Oh, and for what it's worth, ducks love small fish also.

Ray
 12/25/2009 02:32:13 AM · #49
Originally posted by RayEthier:
Oh, and for what it's worth, ducks love small fish also.

Ray


Out of fairness . . big fish also like small ducks . . : - O
 12/25/2009 10:15:42 AM · #50
if the challenge title says portrait of a wild bird does it have to be a single bird and sitting / standing still?
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