Paradise, Switzerland

[Simon HB9DRV]

I've been trying to get a decent shot of the local barn swallows for a couple of months.

This morning the sun was shining, the swallows were parking the baby swallows in the trees and feeding them every few minutes.

As a rank amateur in a hurry these 'hello birdy - click' pictures aren't too scruffy :-)

Full Sized Picture 1 (http://gallery.ham-radio.ch/main.php?g2_itemId=4899&g2_imageViewsIndex=3)
Full Sized Picture 2 (http://gallery.ham-radio.ch/main.php?g2_itemId=4859&g2_imageViewsIndex=3)
Full Sized Picture 3 (http://gallery.ham-radio.ch/main.php?g2_itemId=4889&g2_imageViewsIndex=3)

Why did I waste so much time in April and May?

On Sunday I came across a nice mountain hare. (http://gallery.ham-radio.ch/main.php?g2_itemId=4757)

[lark o'dell]

nice pics simon congrats

[Simon HB9DRV]

nice pics simon congrats
Thanks, I'm really getting the hang of the 400mm USM lens now - caught a (female ?) chaffinch this morning - had about 10 seconds in total for these point and click photos.

Lack of IS is making me concentrate more - not a bad thing at all.

Shame that the 3rd photo is not in focus - she didn't want to pose :-)

[gmax]

Good work Simon, it seems you are mastering well you new kit .. well done
Max

[Kits]

Excellent pics, Simon. Love the hare. Thanks for sharing them with us.

[Simon HB9DRV]

Excellent pics, Simon. Love the hare. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Can you believe that the hare just sat and watched me for over a minute? The others I saw were already a blur in the distance. This is one of the main reasons for buying the 350D.

The full hare pics are here: http://gallery.ham-radio.ch/main.php?g2_itemId=4757.

[Kits]

Thanks for the link - lovely pics. It must have been awesome to have the hare stay so still for so long.

[Simon HB9DRV]

Thanks for the link - lovely pics. It must have been awesome to have the hare stay so still for so long.
It was - trust me, I honestly couldn't believe it.

Over the next weeks I'll stalk the marmots, I would like some nice close-up pictures. The main prize here though is the (Capra ibex) Steinbock. There are plently about, just got to find them.

[Simon HB9DRV]

Went off this afternoon to photograph the 'baby' herons - they have grown enormously over the last week. Was using the 400mm and 1.4x using MF and a monopod @ ISO 100. Am happy with the result, could obviously be better.

As luck would have it a buzzard gave a fly past as I set off, first almost half-way decent photo I have of this buzzard.

The dog had a grand time chasing a local moggy.

[lark o'dell]

great pics of the herons there simon

[Simon HB9DRV]

great pics of the herons there simon
One minute earlier would have been better - they are about 1km from my home, I'll visit them regularly next week.

First pics using the 400mm and 1.4x amd MF, so am happy!

[Simon HB9DRV]

great pics of the herons there simon
Huh - not so enraptured with herons any longer :-C

This morning I went out with the spaniel to take more shots - also to use the extender and monopod and see if the morning light was better than the evening light of Friday.

[1] Parent with what I originally thought was a fish - now I see it's a baby duck :-( 400mm hand-held.

[2] Two ugly children, 400mm, 1.4x, MF & monopod.

[3] Sibling rivalry, 400mm, 1.4x, MF & monopod.

[4] Parent showing off lunch, 400mm hand-held.

[5] I hope you choke, 400mm hand-held!