Birds in my Back Garden Challenge

MWHCVT

MWHCVT

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Matthew
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So I've been the owner of a Sigma 150-500mm for about 24hrs now so I'm setting myself a new challenge this is going to be a lot more relaxed than my POTD challenge in that this is going to be just when I'm able to do it not the intense you must do this, also when I can I'll be posting several image in a single day :D

So what is the challenge:

  1. The primary reason for this challenge is to teach me the discipline that is bird photography and how to do it well :D
  2. As to learn to ID different species
  3. Document all of the Species that we get in the Garden
  4. Have fun and hopefully take some nice photos :D

So to get it started I offer this


Dunnock by mwhcvt, on Flickr

Now Identified as a Dunnock

Please give all comments and critique no matter how bad/harsh I'm really am looking to learn so hit me with your best (y)

Matt
MWHCVT
 
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Well I know what it isn't and that is a House sparrow :) as the beak is totally wrong. It looks like a juvenile of one of the thrush species maybe even a very young blackbird but I am not sure.
 
DalyanJC said:
Well I know what it isn't and that is a House sparrow :) as the beak is totally wrong. It looks like a juvenile of one of the thrush species maybe even a very young blackbird but I am not sure.
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Interesting, well I guess that was 10 minutes looking through my bird book that was wasted then :bang: let's hope someone can give a definitive ID then (y)
 
Tis a Dunnock Matt and not a bad shot of one at that for a first timer :D Exposure looks good and you have captured a decent catchlight in the eye. Not sure what distance you took this at but as you have probably read a thousand times, get in as close as you can ( Yes more kit needed in the shape of a hide maybe :LOL: ) It looks like it could withstand a tighter crop to lose a bit of the unwanted space and still keep a bit around it as it is a natural capture.
 
u8myufo said:
Tis a Dunnock Matt and not a bad shot of one at that for a first timer :D Exposure looks good and you have captured a decent catchlight in the eye. Not sure what distance you took this at but as you have probably read a thousand times, get in as close as you can ( Yes more kit needed in the shape of a hide maybe :LOL: ) It looks like it could withstand a tighter crop to lose a bit of the unwanted space and still keep a bit around it as it is a natural capture.
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Big Andy said:
I'd say it's a Hedge Sparrow or to give it it's proper name Dunnock.

Beaten to it by Rich.
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Dunnock, interesting, is it possible to tell if it's male or female? and if I can I'd life to capture both as part of the challenge, Rich that's really kind of you to say, distance I'd say I was about 5-8 metres away from the subject, I am going to consider a hide, but I am also on the look out for a decent fallen branch with the idea to build a photography perch :naughty:

I suspect it probably could have taken a little more of a crop I also forgot to adjust the white balance :bang: and think it maybe a touch on the warm side

Matt
 
As far as I am aware Matt the M/F are pretty much the same with the Female being a little more drab. from what I have noticed in the garden when courtship is in full swing the Male`s markings seem to appear much darker. You realise it will not just stop at a branch dont you :LOL: I ended up digging out and creating a bog garden in the name of the bloody hobby, also added a scattering of wildmeadow seeds which have just started to spring up. But at the same time well worth it as water will always attract them in, even in the Winter.
 
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After reading this thread Matt, I would say it is a Dunnock :thinking: :). The name is from Old English (dunnākos) which means little brown one, so this is the original LBJ. I dont think its possible to sex them from appearance, but if you can catch them giving the cloacal kiss then it becomes obvious, the hard bit is recognising them again after :D One of their best features is the eyes, get a close shot of them and they are quite special.
Good luck on your challenge and I am looking forward to seeing more (y)
 
Trev4 said:
The name is from Old English (dunnākos) which means little brown one
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Unaccustomed as I am of turning threads around Trev, you can hardly vaccate the toilet and tell SWMBO there is a bloody Dunnock in there :thinking: :shrug:
Edit: Hang on though, in saying that maybe thats where the Ozzies got the idea from :D
 
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michael23 said:
A great idea for a challenge Matt. Will have a look later when I am on my laptop.
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Thanks Michael

u8myufo said:
As far as I am aware Matt the M/F are pretty much the same with the Female being a little more drab. from what I have noticed in the garden when courtship is in full swing the Male`s markings seem to appear much darker. You realise it will not just stop at a branch dont you :LOL: I ended up digging out and creating a bog garden in the name of the bloody hobby, also added a scattering of wildmeadow seeds which have just started to spring up. But at the same time well worth it as water will always attract them in, even in the Winter.
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I was planning on cheating a little more and putting some hidden bit's of bribery on the non camera side of the branch :naughty: I looks like I'm onto a winner then as we have an established bog garden down the bottom half of the garden,so will get something set up down there too

Trev4 said:
After reading this thread Matt, I would say it is a Dunnock :thinking: :). The name is from Old English (dunnākos) which means little brown one, so this is the original LBJ. I dont think its possible to sex them from appearance, but if you can catch them giving the cloacal kiss then it becomes obvious, the hard bit is recognising them again after :D One of their best features is the eyes, get a close shot of them and they are quite special.
Good luck on your challenge and I am looking forward to seeing more (y)
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Thanks Trev, it's good to give myself a challenge, if I'm honest the one bird I really want to get a picture of is the gold finch (y) I love them, though there is the out side chance that I could get a Peacock :D since the farmer down the lane has a few of them...

u8myufo said:
Unaccustomed as I am of turning threads around Trev, you can hardly vaccate the toilet and tell SWMBO there is a bloody Dunnock in there :thinking: :shrug:
Edit: Hang on though, in saying that maybe thats where the Ozzies got the idea from :D
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I glad I'm not the only one that likes to see a tone set and then try and lower it :LOL:

Matt
 
Well here is another one from today and the last one for today ;) but what I believe to be a Chaffinch?


194/366 (559) by mwhcvt, on Flickr

This little one decided to get even further away from my shooting position than the Dunnock from earlier :( and because it had started to rain the light had really dropped off so ISO had to come up a little ;)

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Hi Matt, I like the Dunnock pic, I think it needs a little more contrast though? But does seem as it was quite harsh light you were shooting in.

2nd bird is a chaffinch and it's a female. A nice pose you have caught there, I would consider a tighter crop as I feel there is just a bit too much on the top, and maybe a little less off the bottom. (y)
 
michael23 said:
Hi Matt, I like the Dunnock pic, I think it needs a little more contrast though? But does seem as it was quite harsh light you were shooting in.

2nd bird is a chaffinch and it's a female. A nice pose you have caught there, I would consider a tighter crop as I feel there is just a bit too much on the top, and maybe a little less off the bottom. (y)
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Hi Michael, I think that your right on both counts and looking at my screen I suspect that calibration is in order :( as it appears that colours have gone a little out of whack after yesterdays windows update :bang:

Matt
 
u8myufo said:
Unaccustomed as I am of turning threads around Trev, you can hardly vaccate the toilet and tell SWMBO there is a bloody Dunnock in there :thinking: :shrug:
Edit: Hang on though, in saying that maybe thats where the Ozzies got the idea from :D
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:LOL::LOL::LOL: AT least our LBJ's dont have red backs
action-smiley-082.gif



MWHCVT said:
Thanks Trev, it's good to give myself a challenge, if I'm honest the one bird I really want to get a picture of is the gold finch (y) I love them, though there is the out side chance that I could get a Peacock :D since the farmer down the lane has a few of them...



I glad I'm not the only one that likes to see a tone set and then try and lower it :LOL:

Matt
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Thats rich's trade mark that we all know and love :D

Matt, you may already know this, but if you want Goldies, try hanging a feeder with nyger seed in, they love it, you will need a special feeder though as the seeds are tiny but they are cheap enough and the results could be well worth it. I agree, they are a beautiful little bird (y)

With regard to the chaffy, can I suggest a landscape crop rather than portrait, I think it would suit this image and remove a lot of the wasted space top and bottom, just my thoughts (y)
 
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Trev4 said:
:LOL::LOL::LOL: AT least our LBJ's dont have red backs
action-smiley-082.gif





Thats rich's trade mark that we all know and love :D

Matt, you may already know this, but if you want Goldies, try hanging a feeder with nyger seed in, they love it, you will need a special feeder though as the seeds are tiny but they are cheap enough and the results could be well worth it. I agree, they are a beautiful little bird (y)

With regard to the chaffy, can I suggest a landscape crop rather than portrait, I think it would suit this image and remove a lot of the wasted space top and bottom, just my thoughts (y)
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I didn't know that, we already get them in the Garden but I'll do anything to make it more likely to get them in (y)

I have to agree on the chaffy but I fudged this shoot and and a massive chunk of OOF bench in frame :bang: which I didn't even notice was concentrating on the bird too much :bang: I guess another thing I need to learn ;)

We get some amazing stuff in my garden so as this thread goes on I hope to be able to capture decent shots of them, the sparrow hawk is a regular in the garden it loves to sit of the roof of our bird table, all the wood peckers are regulars, jay's are another I really want to get and I know we've had bull finches not all that long ago (y) I just need to be able to get the camera part right :D

Matt
 
Another challenge Matt? Really?! Good luck with it, looking forward to some good shots. Good luck.

Phil.
 
phil_b said:
Another challenge Matt? Really?! Good luck with it, looking forward to some good shots. Good luck.

Phil.
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Thanks Phil. One has to test ones metal occasionally and this is not going to be as big of a challenge as my POTD for the simple reason I don't have to take a photo every day :D

Matt
 
god luck with this Matt- its areal challenge and no doubt about it

The big sigma is well up to the job, I found mine has a sweet spot @: f8 if that helps?

Les (y)
 
Lez325 said:
god luck with this Matt- its areal challenge and no doubt about it

The big sigma is well up to the job, I found mine has a sweet spot @: f8 if that helps?

Les (y)
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Thanks Les, that helps a lot as I have been shooting at f/10 so if f/8 will offer better results that will be great (y)

Matt
 
I did a test on mine - tripod- newspaper pinned to a tree at 20 yards- focused on the centre of the paper, did a series of shots all at 1/800th sec ISO 400 ( dull Day) and varied the aperture, between f6.3 and f11, shot using a wireless remote- centre spot for af and local for light metering

OS was off when using the tripod- on No1 when hand held

f8 came out as the sharpest- may be worth a shot Matt :shrug:


I vary now the shutter speed and ISO to obtain my f8

Les :D
 
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Lez325 said:
I did a test on mine - tripod- newspaper pinned to a tree at 20 yards- focused on the centre of the paper, did a series of shots all at 1/800th sec ISO 400 ( dull Day) and varied the aperture, between f6.3 and f11, shot using a wireless remote- centre spot for af and local for light metering

OS was off when using the tripod- on No1 when hand held

f8 came out as the sharpest- may be worth a shot Matt :shrug:


I vary now the shutter speed and ISO to obtain my f8

Les :D
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I'll be giving it a good test out over the next few days :D I'm also looking out for building some decent perches :D

Matt
 
MWHCVT said:
I'll be giving it a good test out over the next few days :D I'm also looking out for building some decent perches :D

Matt
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Im not sure thats allowed Matt :LOL::LOL::LOL:

Im doing Slimbridge a week on Sunday - keep you posted

Les (y)
 
Lez325 said:
Im not sure thats allowed Matt :LOL::LOL::LOL:

Im doing Slimbridge a week on Sunday - keep you posted

Les (y)
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I look forward to it, I'm just going to have a look at a couple of blackbird photo's I also got what I think is a Juvenile Blue Tit but that is on the nasty looking feeders so I'll only put that one up for ID

Matt
 
Just Dave said:
Nice challenge Matt look forward to seeing more shots :)
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Thanks Dave, Well hopefully the weather will play ball for me today and I'll get some photos :D yesterday we had rain like I've never seen before
 
Nice shots Matt i like you am just beginning in bird photography and need to get some photos on here for some advice iv'e just not been brave enough yet. Also i like the challenge. Its time to take some more photos and get them on this site.

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foshan said:
Nice shots Matt i like you am just beginning in bird photography and need to get some photos on here for some advice iv'e just not been brave enough yet. Also i like the challenge. Its time to take some more photos and get them on this site.
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Get them up here (y) get a thread started and post away TP is by far and away the best place for you to learn and develop your photography (y)

Pleased you like my photo's so far, looking forward to some nice weather to work on getting some more (y)

Matt
 
I will put a couple on tomorrow for some critique(y)

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A white Dove that landed in my Garden today :D will actually it only turned up to feast on the various foods that are in the garden to attract a myriad of different species


198/366 (563) by mwhcvt, on Flickr

Is there a specific species that this is?

Matt
MWHCVT
 
He looks great Matt.
 
these big sigmas are quite addictive aint they Matt :LOL:

Nice set fella - keep it up

Les (y)
 
Hi Matt

firstly, you fell in to the same trap as I did until someone pointed it out to me...it is in fact a Great (not Greater) spoted Woodpecker, and a juvenile at that by the looks of the red head crown.

Loving the first shot with the water dripping from the beak (y)

#2 and #3 are also good shots but #4 looks like he's had enough of you!
 
Lez325 said:
these big sigmas are quite addictive aint they Matt :LOL:

Nice set fella - keep it up

Les (y)
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Indeed they are Les, it's not left the 5D much at all :lol really pleased with this set there are a few more on flickr and a different on of it as my POTD

braveboy2012 said:
Hi Matt

firstly, you fell in to the same trap as I did until someone pointed it out to me...it is in fact a Great (not Greater) spoted Woodpecker, and a juvenile at that by the looks of the red head crown.

Loving the first shot with the water dripping from the beak (y)

#2 and #3 are also good shots but #4 looks like he's had enough of you!
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Indeed I have :bang: working on if it's lesser then it should be greater premiss I guess :bonk: I picked number four for exactly that reason I thought it finished the mini set nicely :D

I love that drip of water in the first :D

Matt
 
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