Photographing Goldcrests

[Macswede]

Of all the birds I've attempted to photograph, I thing Goldcrests may have been my most spectacular failure. The fact that they're continually on the move and mostly flitting around the tops of pine trees has meant that nearly all my pics have been unrecognizable blobs. This is especially frustrating as they're one of my favourite birds. Their personality far exceeds their minute size.
Last Sunday we were out picking wild mushrooms in the local woods and discovered a spot where the Goldcrests were seemingly oblivious to our presence. I took a lot of pictures but when I came home it was the same old story - a lot of fuzzy blobs in the treetops. It may just have been wishful thinking but they did seem slight less fuzzy than my previous attempts.
At any rate we went back again today to try our luck. It didn't take long before we heard Goldcrests close by. It took a while to spot them and when we did they were on the ground feeding. I took lots of pictures and then they hopped on to a nearby tree trunk and I took some more. The Panasonic FZ20 seemed much slower than usual though and when I looked at the shutter speed I realised why - at times I was taking pictures of fast-moving birds at ¼ of a second!
The birds flew up on to a low branch and then came tumbling down to the ground a few seconds later. My wife says she saw them mating at one point but surely that is unlikely at the end of September? I was concentrating so hard on taking pictures that I missed a lot though. At any rate they were rolling around on the ground together and making a surprising amount of noise. It was very frustrating to realise that I was witnessing some very interesting behaviour that I couldn’t capture in the camera. In the end I fired off a few shots using the flash. It’s the first time I’ve done so when photographing birds. According to my wife they reacted to the light but then carried on with what they were doing.
After looking at the pictures in the computer I can see that they’re not the best pictures of Goldcrests ever but they’re certainly better than anything I’ve managed previously.
To top off a great day I got some decent shots of a curious Red Squirrel during the walk home.
:D

[tirc83]

I have found them quite difficult to photograph as well. Here's my best effort to date: http://www.pbase.com/tirc/image/67275029

[Pluvius]

I couldnt agree with you more this is my effort from last sunday.
http://www.birdforum.net/images/attach/jpg.gif

[Mabel]

It's one thing to find them tame enough to offer good eye views, but they move about so much my camera can't keep up with them!

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Best bet is to get to the coast on a big fall. Cheating I know, but they are so tired you have be careful not to stand on the little blighters.

[Macswede]

Best bet is to get to the coast on a big fall. Cheating I know, but they are so tired you have be careful not to stand on the little blighters.

First Goldcrest I ever saw was on a busy pavement in Nörrköping, Sweden, in the 80's. I picked it up to remove it from harm's way. Of course I didn't have a camera that day. 3:-)

[Osprey_watcher]

I'd be happy to see one I could be sure of never mind photographing one!!!!!!!!

[Keith Reeder]

Got to agree with Marcus - when it's snowing goldies in a fall, they can be surprisingly easy to photograph!
(http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/data/527/4913goldcrest8.jpg)

[Macswede]

Got to agree with Marcus - when it's snowing goldies in a fall, they can be surprisingly easy to photograph!
(http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/data/527/4913goldcrest8.jpg)

At the moment I'm happy to take recognizable pictures, Keith. Yours are way beyond my current level of ambition. Absolutely terrific! :clap:

[eddwillis]

At the moment I'm happy to take recognizable pictures, Keith. Yours are way beyond my current level of ambition. Absolutely terrific! :clap:
I recently had a very frustrating half hour trying to get a shoot of one. It was a lovely morning but the goldfinch spent about 80% of the time in the shade. I was trying to shoot through some willow herb and each time it came into the sunlght the camera tried to focus on the willow herb. in the end this was what I got

[Keith Reeder]

I know - cruel of me to post them!

;)

In truth though, I'd only owned my first-ever DSLR (a D70 + cheap and cheerful - but very good - Sigma 135-400mm lens) for a couple of months when this opportunity presented itself, and it was literally a case of stepping over them, because they'd just blown in from the North Sea and were absolutely knackered.

I posted them just to indicate that if luck is on your side, they can be remarkably easy to photograph: I had one perching on my lens hood at one point; later, one sat on my knee for a while; and another flew through the crook of my arm when I was lining up to take a shot!

[rezMole]

Trying for ages to get a decent picture. Eventually got this one, which I am pleased enough with to enable me to leave them alone for a while! Just stick at it is the only advice I can offer. There's always a better picture to be had.

[Macswede]

I know - cruel of me to post them!

The pleasure your pictures gave was far greater than any despair may have I felt. I've promised myself a DSLR when I feel I've learned all I can from the setup I have but I think I've still got some way to go.
I appreciate what you're saying about opportunity, Keith, but it takes a pretty good photographer to take the pictures you've taken under any circumstances.
The Goldcrest pictures I have taken this time are at any rate recognizable and therefore much better than any I've taken before.
http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/data/527/26891P1080451.jpg
http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/data/527/26891P1080475.jpg
Graham

[Macswede]

Eventually got this one, which I am pleased enough with to enable me to leave them alone for a while!

If I get one as good as that I might leave them alone for a while too. :clap:

[Macswede]

The wife and I got up at just after 4 o’clock yesterday morning. We went on a boat trip to Huvudskär, an island in the Stockholm archipelago, with the local Södertörn's Bird Club. We were lured there by the prospect of possibly seeing Yellow-browed, Pallas or Radde's Warblers.

Unfortunately the weather started dull and then got steadily worse. In the end the rain was quite heavy and it was extremely windy. The worst thing was that the wind didn’t manage to blow in any of the rare warblers that had made the trip sound so attractive in the first place.

I did see my first Long-tailed Duck and Brent Goose though, species that have always managed to ellude me for some reason. And 30 odd White-fronted Geese flew by - another lifer.

There were large numbers of resting Goldcrests, more than I have ever seen previously. They were totally unconcerned by us, landing on branches as close as a few inches away. It was a magical experience. Unfortunately they must have been well rested because they didn’t stay still for more than a second at a time. I’d still have got some decent shots but of course the bad weather meant the light was very poor and anyone who has used the FZ20/TCON-17 combination understands the necessity for good light.

In the end I good one shot that better than any I've taken previously so I suppose that's a small step forward. I've now even more enchanted by these beautiful little birds than previously and determined to do them justice with my camera.
Graham

[Merman]

there is a goldcrest that visits my garden hedge every year. its only about 4 foot high (the hedge, not the goldcrest), and i get great close up views of it, but unfortunately i dont have a decent camera to take any pics.

[pie]

Problems!!!!!!

Ummm, I think not guys, get out your looking glass! :eek!:

[Macswede]

Problems!!!!!!

Ummm, I think not guys, get out your looking glass! :eek!:

Well it's perfecly recognizable and doesn't look too blurred. Can't you just clip out the bit with the bird in and blow it up?
Graham

[pie]

Will have a go, thanks Graham.

[colonelboris]

For me, it was long tailed-tits. Nearly 18 months before I finally got one, not that it's that great....
http://www.tonykeenebirds.co.uk/bbirds/longtailedtit.html
Saying that, absolutely no luck with goldcrests. Closest I came was last winter when there were half a dozen only a few inches from me, but the crappicam™ (Megxon C580) was absolutely useless on the focussing. I'll try again this winter with the Kodak P850.

[Macswede]

For me, it was long tailed-tits. Nearly 18 months before I finally got one, not that it's that great....

Not bad at all, Tony. Any time I've seen a long-tailed tit it's been gone before I can even get the camera switched on. Maybe some day...
Graham

[Saphire]

This seems to be the best I can get at the moment, about three times a day I am standing under the canapy of the tree just waiting, I am not going to give up. The clearest and closest shot I have to date its head was completely turned away :storm:

[pie]

O.K, this is my attempt at cutting out the backround. Not much better but I'm pleased to say he's still in my garden, so no excuse, will try & get a better pic.

Great thread Graham, It's great seeing members pics.

[Macswede]

I think your picture's pretty good, Christine. I'm sure you'll get a better pose if you persevere.

The middle picture's not bad, pie. I tried playing around with it in Photoshop and a noise suppression programme but I don't think my version's much of an improvement.
Graham

[Ruby]

Just about given up with trying to get pics of Goldcrests via the digi-scoping method - birds like these are one of the reasons that I've just treated myself to a new Panasonic FZ7....

Goldcrests beware!

[psilo]

Macswede I have to say that the photos you have taken of their behaviour are fascinating. Goldcrests are such elusive birds and we see so little of their behaviour. I had goldcrests nesting in my garden this year and i used to watch tnem collecting spiders webs to line their nests from my windows. They would hover in front of the glass like a hummingbird and ravel the gossimer round adnd round, truely amazing to watch.
I think the problem with photographing goldcrests with a non dslr camera is that your iso doesnt go very high and so you cannot get fast enough shutter speeds. Goldcrests as you all kow like to move around in shady areas but tracking them and watching them go into patches of good light pays dividends. Goldcrests can be pretty tame and if you stand very still sometimes they will come to you. You do need to be very patient but do not give up and sooner or later better opportunities to photogrpah these charming little birds will present themselves. Here is my best effort to date.

[Saphire]

Psilo that is showing off. A brilliant photo. I have stood for two hours under the canopy of a tree watching and waiting, it seems to be thier favourate place. I have got used to there song now so just wait until I know they are active.

[psilo]

Psilo that is showing off. A brilliant photo. I have stood for two hours under the canopy of a tree watching and waiting, it seems to be thier favourate place. I have got used to there song now so just wait until I know they are active.

LOL Christine
As with any bird photography alot of it is down to luck as well as putting in the hours. I had been watching this bird flitting about the undergrowth for about 5 minutes then all of a sudden he flew out and landed on a branch about 10 feet from where i was stood. It was out in the open with no distracting branches and in reasonable light. How could anyone go wrong? ;)
i have to say from experience though that canopies of large trees really arent any good. What you need to do is find goldcrests that are feeding at a reasonably low level.

[Macswede]

I had goldcrests nesting in my garden this year and i used to watch tnem collecting spiders webs to line their nests from my windows. They would hover in front of the glass like a hummingbird and ravel the gossimer round adnd round, truely amazing to watch.
I think the problem with photographing goldcrests with a non dslr camera is that your iso doesnt go very high and so you cannot get fast enough shutter speeds. Goldcrests can be pretty tame and if you stand very still sometimes they will come to you

Psilo, I agree that a dslr is probably the answer to my light gathering problems in the long term.
I think you hit the nail on head though when you say talk about how fascinating Goldcrest behaviour is. I didn't really get one decent picture last Satuday, certainly nothing to match yours, but it was fascinating watching them anyway. And as you say they will come very close if you just stand still and let them approach. It really was a magical experience. I saw a lot of the hovering you mention and was surprised at how often they perched on low branches or even landed on the ground.
Seeing them collecting gossamer to line their nests easily tops anything I've seen but watching a pair tumble around in the leaves together was pretty amazing.
I still want to take a decent picture of a Goldcrest but my fascination for these tiny birds grows every time I see them however poor the quality of the pictures I get.
Graham

[psilo]

Graham one other experience I had with goldcrest was in a wood recently were I was watching a goldcrest nesting. There seemed to be birds everywhere and I wondered if maybe they had family groups rather like long tailed tits whereby youngsters froma previous brood helped to rear the next one. There is too little info on these gorgeous little birds and so any behaviour we see is invaluable. I loved the shot of the two of them on the ground bravo! keep up the good work.