Archive for the ‘birds’ Category

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Have a little Patience!

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

Yes, I know it’s from the lyrics’ – Take That’s Patience, but it seems very fitting here …..

I’ve been experimenting with taking photographs of birds for a while, but the problem I’ve always had is how to get close-ups photographs of the subject, without disturbing them whilst they feed on the feeders, I don’t have a bird hide or jacket yet, in the past I’ve used remote control to fire the camera, but the birds were suspicious of the camera when it was too close to the feeders, and they wouldn’t feed. I do have a spotting ‘scope, and with a camera adaptor mounted on a digital SLR, I’ve been experimenting with the camera in manual, and manual focus for many months. I think these are the best shots I’m going to get until I purchase that big Canon Lens!

and before you critique the following photographs, please remember the birds were photographed at 100m, in manual focus, manual exposure, and remotely fired to avoid camera shake on the tripod!

Great Tit on peanuts

Great Tit on peanuts

Goldfinchs and Sparrows on niger

Goldfinchs and Sparrows on niger

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NEWSFLASH! Goldfinch’s nest in garden Exclusive photographs and Webcam

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Since April 2009, I’ve had Goldfinches visiting my garden regularly feeding on the Nyjer seed, before April 2009, I’d never seen Goldfinches in my garden. This weekend Lindsey told me she had seen Goldfinches around the Magnolia tree and the telephone wire (maybe this is why broadband playing up!). On further examination, I discovered a nest in the Magnolia tree, and to may amazement a few minutes later visited regularly by a pair of Goldfinches.

Goldfinch birds nest in Magnolia tree

Goldfinch birds nest in Magnolia tree

Goldfinch on the nest

Goldfinch on the nest

So time to get some tek out to get some pictures for the web…. (some time passes and ….)

I’m still trying to get better photographs, but at present my Canon EOS 350D Digital SLR is connected to my Leica APO Televid 77mm Spotting Scope using a Leica Photo Adaptor, this seven element adaptor converts the Leica Televid into an 800mm telephoto lens, with a focal ratio f/10. It’s then used with a T2 Ring adaptor to connect to the body of the DSLR. (no autofocus, strictly manual mode, and the camera in Av mode). The DSLR is tethered to a Windows XP Professional virtual workstation using an active USB 2.0 cable using Canon EOS Utility to remotely control the camera and take the photographs every 30 seconds and upload them to the workstation. (I’m using a virtual workstation, because the Canon software doesn’t spport Vista 64-bit). A bunch of scripts and other tek is then used to upload them to the webserver.

If you look at the right hand side panel, you’ll see the images taken every thirty seconds, if you are lucky, you’ll see the goldfinches on the nest.

The magnolia tree (nest) is approximately 40-50 feet from the camera.

The only issue, is ther DSLR runs on batteries, because I’ve not got a DC coupler for it! I’m also looking for a 30mm – 42mm Step-up ring to connect the Firewire CAM which would be better, I’ll not where out the shutter!

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Four Goldfinches on nyjer feeder

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

quad-goldfinch1

I’ve managed to capture four Goldfinches on the nyjer feeder. The feeder was moving in the breeze like a pendulum, so a little difficult to manual focus with me gear! Photographed at a distance of 50 feet. Not as crisp a focus, as I would like, I’m waiting for an additional eyepiece which will magnify the viewfinder image, so I can sharpen the focus on the ‘scope before remotely firing the shutter. The viewfinder produces a small, dark image and I cannot be sure if it’s in focus.

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Single Goldfinch on Nyjer Feeder

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

goldfinch-singleton

goldfinch-singleton1

goldfinch-singleton2

goldfinch-singleton3

My latest efforts at closeup photographing of the birds in my garden. These photographs are still not perfect, but I’m discovering and learning new things about photography with my Digital SLR, now that it’s not in Automatic and I don’t have Auto-Focus either!

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Illegal bird killing in Malta

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

Migration is one of the most amazing stories from nature. Every year, hundreds of species of birds make astonishing journeys from one part of the world to another and back again. And some end up in the UK, including swallows.

From the cape of South Africa swallows fly north the length of Africa, averaging 200 miles every day. Most pass over the Namib and Kalahari deserts to the Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s western coast, eating insects on the wing.

Then comes the difficult journey across the Sahara. Buffeted by sandstorms and with few insects to sustain them, they struggle to get to the other side of this vast desert.

Once across, they follow three main ‘flyways’ over the glistening expanse of the Mediterranean sea to southern Europe and eventually, after 7,000 miles, to the place where they were born. Often to the same village. The same barn. The same nest as in previous years.

A truly remarkable feat.

swallow180_tcm9-174734Unfortunately, some swallows never make it that far. Their route takes them to the coastline of a small island – Malta – where they stop, feed, rest…and are shot. Just for the sheer pleasure of it.

Last September, volunteers from BirdLife Malta and another bird conservation group found the remains of over 200 birds hidden in an area of the Mizieb woodland, which is used as hunting grounds.

The bodies, which ranged from freshly killed marsh harriers to bones that appeared to be several months (maybe years) old, were located in stashes under rocks, in crevices and under rubbish. The remains also included honey-buzzards and hoopoes.

Sign the petition here or  https://www.rspb.org.uk/applications/inforequest/%28vhhixwbqm43lgu55jflto1z2%29/index.aspx?dt=APLITH0103

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The one that got away!

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
Bird's gone!

Bird's gone!

I know it doesn’t look very special, and it was the first rushed shot, when daylight was fading this evening, and there was a Long Tailed Tit on my nuts. But the special thing about this photo was it was taken with my Digital SLR attached to my spotting ‘scope. The bird feeder was 100 metres from the position of the camera.

I hope to get some birds on the next shots!

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Big Garden Birdwatch Results

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

I’ve just spent the last hour doing the Big Garden Birdwatch, from 09:50 – 10:50, and here are my results (it’s not too late if you’ve not done it, but too late for Self-Assessment Tax Return!)

  • Blackbird – 4
  • Blue tit – 3
  • Chaffinch – 3
  • Collared Dove – 11
  • Goldfinch – 10
  • Great tit – 1
  • House sparrow – 31
  • Starling – 44
  • Crow – 12
  • Bullfinch – 1

I now know why, the bird seed gets eaten in one day!

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Big Garden Birdwatch, 30 – 31 January 2010

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Why not spend an hour this weekend filling the bird feeders and taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, 30 – 31 January 2010. Watch the birds in your garden or park for one hour and record the highest number of each species you see at any one time.

Counting birds each year is very important. Information from the Big Garden Birdwatch over the past 30 years has produced valuable scientific data. Comapring the fugures helps us determine which birds are doing well and which are struggling, and so need some action to help them.

I’ve topped up my feeders for this weekend, have you!

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Sparrowhawk!

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

As promised a few months ago, these are pictures of the Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) which patrols our garden chasing the sparrows. I finally spotted it again today on my neighbours aviary (full of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)), so I quickly ran for the camera (already on tripod), fired a few shots, and then realised I needed to change to a zoom lens. So quickly replaced with a 300mm zoom lens and took a few more, before it flew off.

Sparrowhawk on aviary No.1

Sparrowhawk on aviary No.1

Sparrowhawk on aviary No.2

Sparrowhawk on aviary No.2

Sparrowhawk on aviary No.3

Sparrowhawk on aviary No.3

300mm zoom lens is the largest I have (it’s not image stabilized either)

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Goldfinch Update

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

Here’s a small video clip of the Goldfinches visiting the feeder in my garden.

I now get four Goldfinches regularly visiting the feeder everyday. The only problem is being a 2 port feeder, they squabble over which bird gets the food, as can be seen in the video clip. Video clip is taken about 30 feet from the feeder, they get spooked if I’m closer. Time for a larger feeder!

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