Extremadura Photo Kit (1 Viewer)

Hi,
I would like some info/advise please from bird PHOTOGRAPHERS, as to what focal lenses you found most useful (or wish you had taken) for/on a trip to Extremadura.
I have read most of the excellent trip reviews for this area and they seem to to have been written by BIRDERS, and a birders "tick in a box" at 60x through a scope is a far cry from a photographers needs.I need to see the whites of their eyes to get a reasonable image.
I will be there for most of May and will be travelling by ferry with my own car so there should be no problems with what you suggest that I take.
Any info greatly appreciated.
regards I4ani

If you are going by car then take everything you have got! Lenses are just expensive paperweights when left at home

mw_aurora said:

If you are going by car then take everything you have got! Lenses are just expensive paperweights when left at home

Click to expand...

Id' agree - I can't imagine going anywhere with such potential and not taking all my gear.

Ideally take a 500/600mm lens with 1.4x & 2x converters & a beanbag as well as a tripod. Many photographic opportunities will be from your vehicle -especially in the Belen & Santa Marta de Magasca plains so the beanbag will be useful.

If light levels are good & there is no heat-haze then it's even worthwhile stacking TCs with a long lens -especially for Bustards.

In Monfrague some of the targets will be quite a bit away (Black Stork on nest, Eagle Owls & Span. Imp. Eagles at Portilla del Tietar) so getting frame-filling razorsharp images will be well-nigh impossible even with good quality heavy glass.

Finally make sure you have a set-up that will allow you to grab overhead raptor shots hand-held as such opportunities often suddenly materialise.

To get an idea of the minimum results to expect with a 500mm lens + 1.4x or 2x TCs check out this gallery:

www.pbase.com/rainbirder/spainextremadura

With a bit of care & some luck you could do a lot better.

Hi and many thanks for the advice, I was starting to get worried that after 100 ish views and no replies, that I was going somewhere into the unknown.
For Aurora and Postcardcv, I am a great believer in the the more you've got, the more time is spent worrying if the 200 is better than the 300 etc etc, ie more kit less images but thanks and I get your meaning.
For Steve G, looked at your site and very, very good it is to ( the rest of community please have a look if not already done so).Your response and from what I have seen is narrowing down my choice of kit so thanks very much for your input.
From the images on your site I liked all, but these were special,-Blue Rock Trush, Black Vulture, Great Bustard,Monty Harrier,Griff vulture Turtle Dove and topical at this time the Cattle Egret in Summer plumage.Looking around the birding press, someone must have dumped off a lorry load of them throughout the UK, (I feel sorry for the poor b****r dropped off in Scotland in the Snow !!!)Many thanks again Guys
regards I4ani.

Hi 14ani last time i visited this area i wasnt really into photography as much as i am now and agree 100% with other comments that a bean bag would be very usefull as theres always endless opportunities available from the car.

If i had taken one last time just down a single stretch of road i could have had good pictures of bee-eaters, roller, montagues harrier, spanish sparrow and hoopoe.

I am going back this year to visit the hecho valley where like certain areas of the monfrague you get great chances to get birds of prey in flight (i think the best place at the monfrague for this is pena falcon rock) for this reason a good lens at least 300mm with fast auto focus and can be easily use hand held would be in-valuble. I have just got myself a canon 400mm lens mostly for visiting places like this.

Hi Midlandbirder,
Thanks for the info, all the better if they can be shot from the car. I am staying in/around Trujillo for a couple of weeks, hope the birds turn up in their hundreds!!
Enjoy your 400mm lens.
regards I4ani.