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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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    Uggly duck, S Yorks, UK

    Ugly duck, S Yorks, UK Seen yesterday at Old Moor RSPB. It was a diving duck, moved like a ruddy duck when diving. It doesnt appear to have any flight feathers, so is it a fledgling, or do ruddy ducks go into eclipse plumage? (Or am I completely off-track?)
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    Early efforts with a 400d

    I recently bought a 400d as a back-up body, having had a close shave with my 1DsII, a rock and a deep puddle. I have spent the last few days getting used to it - a very similar layout to my old Eos 300 35mm slr, so the controls were easy enough, but isnt it a small body! The ergonomics took a...
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    Panning flight shots with a Gimbal head

    I have recently purchased a sigma 500f4.5, and am still getting used to it's handling. It's a bit heavy for prolonged handholding, so I also got a manfrotto 393 head. Up until today I had only used the lens, whether tripod-mounted or handheld, on static or slow moving subjects, but after reading...
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    A late brood?

    I noticed these guys still in the nest a couple of days ago - the adults were still coming in to feed them, although they looked fledged from what I could see. It seems a bit late in the year, after the swifts have already left. The house owner said there have been martins in the same place...
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    Too drab?

    http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/157339/ppuser/28570 This pheasant hen was shot from my car, using a tripod and gimbal head set up in the passenger footwell. I love the subtle shades on these birds, and can only marvel at the effectiveness of the camoflage against such an...
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    When to visit the Wash?

    I fancy visiting the Wash sometime this autumn/early winter, probably somewhere like Freiston Shore/Frampton Marsh area, for waders and wildfowl. When are the best times to go - both time of year and time of day/tide?
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    First efforts with a big prime

    I received my sigma 500mm f4.5 yesterday, along with a new manfrotto 393 head to put it on. These are some of my efforts while getting used to the handling of the new combo. http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/155838/cat/500/ppuser/28570...
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    Pleasing the gallery?

    I was intrigued by the apparently differing reaction to 2 photos I posted recently of seabirds in flight. This one - http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/150723/ppuser/28570 - while technically competent, I nearly didnt post, as it just seemed a bit ordinary; just another gannet...
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    Which warbler?

    I'm still puzzled over this one! Pictures are from near Seahouses, Northumberland coast, May 2005. The second 2 shots are the same bird, the first was taken the day before - same place, same perches, so I would guess it's the same bird. It was very bold - I was stood in plain view only a few...
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    Is there much at Bempton in July?

    I was thinking of going over to Bempton again at the end of this week, weather forecast allowing (More auk flight shots I hope). Is there much still going on there now we're in July? If not, could someone recommend a good wader place on the Yorkshire coast? Thanks
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    Between house calls

    Driving between 2 villages up by the dark Peak this morning I saw 2 pairs of lapwing, clearly agitated, calling and almost hovering by the roadside. I thought at first there must be a cat or similar near a chick, but could see nothing. Drove round the corner, and found the problem - a little...
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    Sigma 500 EX or EX DG?

    I have found a shop still stocking non-DG versions of this lens, for around £400 less than the DG. Do the DG coatings really make that much difference? (I use a 1DsII, and all but 1 macro lens are DG, so I cant make an easy comparison) I would be using it with a 1.4*TC occasionally. No problem...
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    Flight shot assessment please

    These three were taken at Bempton yesterday - a very windy day at the cliff edge, with lots of turbulence. The birds were whipping around at some speed, but because of the turbulence were usually having several goes to get in on fairly regular approaches. Once I'd spotted these, it was easier to...
  14. G

    Experimenting!

    I was trying some dslr-scoping today, and was pleasantly surprised. The set-up was 1DsII with 50mm lens on a swaroski 80hd with 20-60 eye-piece set at 20*, connected with a DCA. The camera was handheld as the combined weight was a bit much for the tripod head - if I start to do this a lot I will...
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    Odd Duck

    I saw this strange one at Potteric carr today - looks like a hybrid to me, perhaps mallard with something? Any guesses?
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    Two more from the archive

    Going back through my old negs I found these two forgotten shots. I like them for their associations, but I think they have some aesthetic merit as well. Looking at the cormorant afresh, I think it may have benefitted from a bit more background, but from other shots taken around the same time...
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    Stepping out of the comfort zone

    Ok - I'm now on broadband, so really dont have any more excuses not to post some photos. Although I have been taking photos for a long time, my 'public' work on walls in other people's houses is mainly abstract nature, plants and candid portraiture. My bird photography has had a much more...
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    owl flight call?

    Last night I heard one of our local tawny owls calling - nothing unusual in that except that instead of calling from a perch in a tree it appeared to be calling as it flew overhead. I was stood in a field and clearly heard the call moving over, but couldnt see the bird against the sky. This is...
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    kestrel's lunch

    Yesterday I saw a male kestrel repeatedly catching dragonflies in short flights from a fence post - successfully caught them both on the wing and on the ground. He even mantled over one of them! Neither I or the others in the hide had ever seen a kestrel hunting dragonflies before. Is this...
  20. G

    overfeeding?

    I have a mix of feeders in my garden - 'high energy low mess' mix, black sunflower seeds, peanuts, niger, fat balls. Around this time of year I begin to worry that I am providing too much, and that the fledglings becoming more independent may not become skilled enough at finding natural food...
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    close encounter

    Climbing on Dinas Cromlech yesterday I was lucky enough to have a peregrine stoop straight past me at all of about 5' distance. Incredible to see and hear so close. Didnt see if it was successful though.
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    masses of martins

    Now the swifts seem to have gone, the house martins seem to be gathering to go as well. We had a large (50+) flock wheeling and feeding over a local wet meadow last night - usually we have about 5! The swallows still seem to be around in normal numbers though. Has anyone else noticed martins...
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    DSLR connection

    I want to hook up my canon dslr to my swarovski 80hd. The swarovski DCA has rings that go up to 52mm i think, but the smallest filter size short prime I can find for canon (including sigma, tamron etc) is 55mm. Anyone got any ideas for an adaptor/lens combo?
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    sigma 120-300 f2.8

    I am wanting to upgrade my kit - currently using a sigma 50-500 EX DG, but want something faster. From what I have read the 120-300 f2.8 is a good lens for sport etc, and is compatable with 1.4X and 2X TC's. Does anyone know if AF is maintained with the sigma 2X tc (if so I would have a 600mm...
  25. G

    another stupid question!

    I was out at Bempton cliffs yesterday, watching some tree sparrows while etaing lunch. It occured to me that I have never been anywhere where tree and housesparrows co-exist. Is this actually the case, and if so why? competition for nest sites perhaps? :brains:
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