Post your best bird shots!

[francongphotography]

Nice bird shots everyone...Wish I could eventually have some of that pro gears...
Too bad I'm still a student..and I'm lucky to have whatever equipment I have now..a cheapo tamron tele lens and 550D to pursue my love in bird photography!

here's my contribution to this thread:

[ddt0725]

Beautiful shots, Franco! I don't think I have ever seen a duck like the last one with green on the face like that!

Speaking of firsts, this was the first time I have ever seen a Peregrine Falcon in my area before today! I was hoping to get some BIF shots but he flew in a direction that I couldn't get a clear shot!


Peregrine Falcon by Denise Trocio, on Flickr


Peregrine Falcon by Denise Trocio, on Flickr

Peregrine Falcon by Denise Trocio, on Flickr

Peregrine Falcon by Denise Trocio, on Flickr

[francongphotography]

Really sharp picture of the falcon! and yeah it was also my first time seeing that kinda duck. I've never seen a falcon before though...really wish I'd have the chance to see one. But I'm heading to find some snowy owls around my area..hope they haven't migrated yet so I'll have some shots to share with you all!

[Jonathan Huyer]

I haven't done much shooting lately, but I managed to get out today to scout for snowy owls. There is a cyclic 'irruption' of owls happening this season, with an unusually large number of them migrating south. But still, coming across one involves a good degree of perseverance and luck. Our recent spell of warm weather has left the fields bare to the east of Calgary, giving a nice backdrop to this fine specimen.

Canon 1D3, 300mm f/2.8 lens with 1.4x TC, 1/2000 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200

[conropl]

Jonathan - Great compisition on that. I love the snow owl on a fence post with the barded wire going in and out of focus like that.

[Joel Eade]

Nice shots of the Falcon Denise, what was he perched on?

Jonathan, great Snowy Owl, looks like you were able to get fairly close, had any other photographers found this one?

[ddt0725]

Thanks, Joel! He was on a street light. I am hoping to catch some in flight shots soon! Went back this morning but he didn't want to budge and it was too cold to wait any longer ...maybe this afternoon!

[Jonathan Huyer]

Thanks Pat and Joel. I am guessing I was about 40 yards away... I cropped this shot a bit to make up the difference. I get my tips from a local email hotline for birders, and there have been a fair number of snowy sightings in the area. So I was anticipating success. Strangely enough, another vehicle ahead of me drove right past this bird and didn't even notice..! But maybe, unlike me, they were actually paying attention to the road.

[Joel Eade]

This is a silhouette I created of 4 Sandhill Cranes coming in for a landing at Bosque Del Apache, still working with all the images I took with the world's best Bosque Guide (Bob Williams)

[bob williams]

Go ahead, rub it in Joel

still working with all the images I took

I got through my 2000 images in about 15 minutes, cause 1995 of them were garbage, yet you keep producing great shots like this from the trip.

BTW, Thanks for the pitch. The season is almost over now, but I am really considering your idea for next season. Just think, Hbirds in the summer, Bosque in the fall, but what do I do in the winter and spring?

Great shot, and I love the vignette.