[MI_Phil]

This is a Common Grackle that was visiting here yesterday.The white spots in the pix are snowflakes.1200X900 crop from original,resized and signature added in PhotoShop Elements.

ImageDescription : CommonGrackleml032903.jpg
Make : SONY
Model : MAVICA CD1000
ExposureTime : 1/180Sec
FNumber : F2.8
ExposureProgram : Shutter Priority
ISOSpeedRatings : 80
DateTimeOriginal : 2003:03:29 12:56:50
ExposureBiasValue : EV0.0
MeteringMode : CenterWeightedAverage
LightSource : Daylight
Flash : Not fired
FocalLength : 29.90(mm)
ExifImageWidth : 1600
ExifImageHeight : 1200

[bcurrie]

Well, this is going against my rule to never post at the begining of a competition. This is not a photo that would win any competition, but I would be disloyal to myself if I did not post it. Marsh Wrens are one of the most widely heard but seldom seen birds in North America. Not to mention that they are constantly on the move, and rarely, truly perch. So to have been given this opportunity was wonderful. I just wish he had been closer. Just so you know, I had to hike a mile, the last bit being in thick mud with a portable blind. So I can at least say I earned the opportunity! Taken with Pro90IS, w/B-300 +TCON 14 handheld, on March 29.
Settings were:
Shooting Mode: Aperture-Priority @ 5.6
Shutter Speed = 1/1000
Exposure Compensation = -1/3
ISO Speed = 50

[Richard Ford]

Woodlark taken on 31st March 2003

Digiscoped

Nikon Coolpix 4500 and Swarovski ST80HD
Scope at 25X Zoom
Coolpix at 3x Zoom
Manual settings
1/125
F4.6

Distance 15-20 metres

Photo Uncropped

[mymantra]

This is one mean looking Red-tailed Hawk taken April 2nd in my local park through my Nikon Sky and Earth scope with my Nikon Coolpix 885. Rotated and cropped, magenta fringing removed, levels and contrast adjusted, USM applied, resized to 640x480 with PS Elements 2.0. Settings:

Nikon COOLPIX885
Focal Length: 24mm
White Balance: Direct sunlight
Digital Zoom Ratio: 1.00
2003/04/02 08:29:34
Exposure Mode: Programmed Auto
AF Mode: AF-S
Saturation comp: 0
JPEG (8-bit) Fine
Metering Mode: Partial
Tone Comp: Constrast (-)
Sharpening: Auto
Image Size: 2048 x 1536
1/447.6 sec - f/4.9
Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached
Noise Reduction: OFF

[peteh]

This is a Stonechat taken at Derbyhaven on 03 April 03.
Taken With a coolpix 4500 on a Leica apo77.
Levels adjusted in photoshop.
Settings were :
Scope at 30x
Focal Length: 15.5mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Center-Weighted
1/275.1 sec - f/3.4
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 100
White Balance: Auto
AF Mode: AF-S
Tone Comp: Normal
Flash Sync Mode: Front Curtain
Digital Zoom Ratio: 1.00
Saturation comp: 0
Sharpening: Normal
Noise Reduction: OFF

[IanF]

Taken 30/03/2003. It is sat on the edge of a sunflower hearts feeder in rear garden.

Nikon 4500 / Kowa 823 32x spotting scope - 25'

Original date/time: 2003:03:30 16:04:23
Exposure time: 10/1667 (0.00600)
F-stop: 3.8
ISO speed: 100

[Marysan]

Red-tailed Hawk, Juvenile (Buteo jamaicensis)

Camera: Nikon CP 4300 2X

Settings: Automatic

Photo taken April 4, 2003, at Lake Murray, San Diego, CA, USA.

Distance from subject approx. 20-25 ft.

[Imogene]

Blue Jay
Taken with Sony FD Mavica Digital Camera
Settings on automatic
Taken in my yard-April 1-2003

[Cindy M]

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) on staghorn sumac
Image Taken- 4/05/03
Olympus C2100UZ w/B300 teleconverter
1/650s f/4.5 at 70.0mm iso100
aprox. 15 feet from bird ( the white flecks in background are snowflakes )

[Vogelman]

Tufted Titmouse on Live Oak

Taken 3/30/02 with Canon D60 with Canon 70-200 at 200 from about 6 feet. (1/125 at F8.0)

[Richard Ford]

Digiscoped Male Perigrine Falcon, 4th April 2003.

Nikon Coolpix 4500 and Swarovski ST80HD
Scope at 30X Zoom
Coolpix at 3x Zoom
Manual settings
1/125
F4.5
ISA 100

Distance 50+ metres

Cropped slightly.

[Reader]

I have posted this into the Competition due to comments by Colin at the Minsmeet bash. It seems this Stonechat I have captured isn't the usual Stonechat we see over here but in fact is a Siberian Stonechat. So for rarity value alone I am placing this entry into the competition.

It was taken at Dunwich Heath at about 18:30 hrs on April 5th.

I used my Nikon Coolpix 990 combined with a Kowa 824 using a 20 x 60 zoom set at around 40 x. The settings were as follows.

CAMERA : E990V1.1
METERING : AF SPOT
MODE : A
SHUTTER : 1/51sec
APERTURE : F4.4
EXP +/- : 0.0
FOCAL LENGTH : f23.4mm(X1.0)
IMG ADJUST : AUTO
SENSITIVITY : ISO100
WHITEBAL : AUTO
SHARPNESS : AUTO
QUALITY : FULL FINE

[Christoph]

As my first entry I wonna present you a white stork.

I've got done this picture with a Fujifilm Finpix S2 Pro and a Tamron AF 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 LD. The distanse to the Bird is about 10 meters (I guess). Picture was done last Saterday, 5. April 2003.
Technical Data: F/8 and 1/350s at 300mm, ISO 100
A crop of 1400x1200 for the original (4256x2848) and resized to 595x512, resharped.

To the bird: On the place where I took this picture are at the moment about 10 couples breeding. The place is in the middle of the city Bale, in the area of the zoo. This birds are wild and two years ago, one of this Stork (Basilisk his name) was fitted with a solar transmitter. He was one of 25 storks, who where observed on their way to afrika over the street of gibraltar.

[Fab]

Boat-tailed Grackle
(Quiscalus major)

Taken on April 6, 2003 on my backyard, Miami, Florida

Canon EOS3, Sigma zoom lens 170-500 @ 500mm
settings f 7.1 @ 1/50 of a second
Fujifilm Provia 100ASA
tripod used, taken out out of window.
Aprox. distance 25 feet

cropped and resized.

[IanF]

Location - Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, Billingham, Cleveland.
Camera - Olympus C2100UZ+Tcon 14+B300 20'

Original date/time: 2003:04:07 08:11:43
Exposure time: 10/6500 (0.00154)
F-stop: 6.3
ISO speed: 100

[Chuck A Wulla]

Nikon CP 4500/Meade EXT 90 scope
40 meters approx.
Corn Creek Station/Desert National Wildlife Range
Taken: 9 April 2003 0815(dst)

DSCN1452.JPG
CAMERA : E4500V1.1
METERING : SPOT
MODE : M
SHUTTER : 1/500sec
APERTURE : F3.3
EXP +/- : 0.0
FOCAL LENGTH : f14.7mm(X1.0)
IMG ADJUST : STANDARD
SENSITIVITY : ISO200
WHITEBAL : AUTO
SHARPNESS : OFF
DATE : 2003.04.09 07:14
QUALITY : 2272x1704 FINE
SATURATION : 0
FOCUS AREA : CENTER

[Chuck A Wulla]

Apparently these two, after fending off Starlings, have set up housekeeping at the station.
Uncropped and unretouched with total disregard for personal pain and anguish.

Nikon CP 4500 Meade EXT 90 scope
50 meters approx.
Corn Creek Station/Desert National Wildlife Range
Taken: 9 April 2003 0902(dst)

DSCN1601.JPG
CAMERA : E4500V1.1
METERING : SPOT
MODE : M
SHUTTER : 1/500sec
APERTURE : F4.7
EXP +/- : 0.0
FOCAL LENGTH : f28.6mm(X1.0)
IMG ADJUST : STANDARD
SENSITIVITY : ISO100
WHITEBAL : AUTO
SHARPNESS : OFF
DATE : 2003.04.09 08:02
QUALITY : 2272x1704 FINE
SATURATION : 0
FOCUS AREA : LEFT

[KCFoggin]

Northern Mockingbird.

Taken on April 1, 2003 at 8:00 a.m.
Nikon coolpix on auto setting with raven scope.
Distance: approx. 60 feet.

[Andrew]

Not a picture to set the scene alight but nevertheless if you ain't in it you can't win it!

Location : My garden
Distance : 30 - 40 feet away
Weather : A little sun through thick clouds
Camera : Nikon Coolpix 4500
Scope : Swaro ATS65
Camera Setting : Macro mode
Date Taken : 8th April 2003

[loggah]

This is digiscoped image of a Merlin that visited my backyard on April 10. It landed in the top of a tall pine and was very cooperative, sitting still long enough for me to focus the scope, attach the camera, turn on the camera, adjust all the settings, and take several shots! My luck isn't usually that good!

This isn't the greatest photo - could be sharper, but I am a digiscoping newbie and still learning. I just had to enter it since the bird was so obliging!

Details:

Date: April 10, 2003
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 995
Scope: Leica APO Televid 77
F-stop: 4.5
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 100
Focus: Infinity
Distance: 45 yards +/-
Aperature priority

I adjusted the levels and sharpened slightly in Photoshop.

[jvhigbee]

Canon EOS 10D DATE 4/8/2003
100/400L IS Lens
F5.6 at 1/20

[Andrew]

Here is another Goldfinch, I liked this one so it is my second entry and I hope it qualifies as a perched bird. I was not sure if it had to be perched on a twig or it could be on anything. It is on a peanut block cage.

Location : My garden.
Date : 11th April 2003
Gear : Nikon 4500 & Swaro ATS65
Weather : Cloudy I think.
Setting : Mid zoom on scope and Macro setting on camera.

[Forcreeks]

Entry no. 1, Anna's Hummingbird, male
time: 3:49 p.m. ; date: Mar. 30, 2003
Place: Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, Portland, Oregon, USA
Eqpt.: Olympus C-50 zoom digital w/ Kowa TSN-824 fluorite and 32x e.p.
shutter speed: 1/60 sec; aperature: F4.8
focal lgth.: 55mm; ISO speed: 80
distance to bird: abt. 10 meters
He was perched on small branch of shrub about 15 ft. high, singing and displaying.

[paulh]

Canon Eos 10D with Canon 75-300 IS zoom.

Shooting Date/Time: 12/04/03 13:06:22
Shooting Mode: Aperture-Priority AE
Shutter Speed: 1/125
Aperture Value: F6.7
Metering Mode: Partial
Exposure Compensation: 0
ISO Speed: 400
Focal Length: 250.0 mm
White Balance: Auto

[Andy Bright]

Dartford Warbler taken at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk. A mighty challenge for a digiscoper, they're a bit like Seals in the sea.... they pop a head out of the heather for a very quick look-a-round then dive down into cover and then pop-up again in a totally different place a few minutes later.

Camera: Nikon cp990
Scope: Zeiss 85fl with 20-60x eyepiece @ 20x

ExposureTime : 1/132Sec
FNumber : F3.5
ISOSpeedRatings : 100
DateTimeOriginal : 2003:04:11 08:58:12
MeteringMode : Partial
FocalLength : 18.10(mm)