Lincsbirder wildlife photography: Recently Added Galleries and Collections

Tits

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:36:17 GMT

My in flight photographs

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:32:45 GMT

As you will probably notice from the amount of photographs in this gallery in flight photography is a great favourite of mine.

I find it very challenging but at the same time very satisfying, especially when I manage to get it right. There are many aspects that need to be considered in taking good flight photographs.

A fast shutter speed is needed if you want to completely freeze the action. You also have to consider exposure which can be a bit of a nightmare with black and white coloured birds against sky or water backgrounds. Available natural light and light direction are another factor to take into account as well as panning techniques with a telephoto lens attached to the camera.

I'm no expert by any means and often get it wrong but as I said earlier I find it immensely satisfying when I do get it right.

The best advice I would offer to anyone inexperienced in taking in flight photographs is practice, practice and more practice.

Please note: All the photographs in this gallery can also be viewed in there respective galleries as well.

Waterfowl

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:24:55 GMT

Waders

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:11:00 GMT

Wagtails and Pipits

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:07:02 GMT

Seabirds

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:01:29 GMT

Corvids

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:55:55 GMT

Sparrows and Dunnocks

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:15:47 GMT

Finches

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:11:17 GMT

Other Mammals

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:59:26 GMT

Wren and Crests

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:11:24 GMT

Birds that visit my garden

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:37:38 GMT

All the photos in this gallery are taken in my front garden (apart from the wagtails which were taken in the back garden) Although the garden is quite small I manage to attract a good number of species by feeding a large variety of food.

Some of the photographs have been taken from an open bedroom window with the camera mounted on a hide clamp attached to the bedroom windowsill. I have a tall high backed chair that I can sit on that brings me up to just the right height. Others have been taken from just inside my front door, again using the tall high backed chair.

There are some advantages in a small garden in that the birds are well within range of my 400mm lens and there is unlimited tea or coffee on tap. The disadvantage of this is that in the mornings I'm shooting into the sun (when it happens to shine anyway) so It's usually an afternoon or dull morning job and then I often have to use flash to get the detail I like.

The feeding station itself is a metal pole construction with four arms for hanging feeders on. As I'm sure you will be aware black metal and feeders aren't the best looking setting for bird photography so I have overcome this by fastening natural looking branches to the metal pole. This is achieved by using plastic tie wraps that can be bought from garden centres. The branches project well above the actual feeders so the birds use the branches to perch before dropping down to the feeders and this provides great photo opportunities. The branches can easily be changed when they are past there best.

Cheating some may say but this is why I have given you this information, as long as it's stated that this is how it's done it's a matter of personal opinion if it's cheating or not. Anyway I see no difference in this method than baiting certain spots in the wild to attract certain species, same end result.

Birds of prey

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:56:09 GMT

My favourite photos

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:49:04 GMT

A small collection of my favourite photographs.

They may be a favourite because of the quality of the image, or the skill involved in taking the image, or the pose of the various bird, butterfly or other insect I have managed to capture. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed taking them.

Nuthatches and Woodpeckers

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:13:53 GMT

Thrushes and Chats

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:48:14 GMT

Hawkers

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:50:02 GMT

The Hawkers are generally with the exception of the Brown Hawker fairly approachable insects which helps when photographing them.

Southern Hawkers. Flight period late June to mid October. I find these can be very approachable and will often fly pretty close to you checking you out.

Migrant Hawkers. Flight period mid July to late October. I find these are often very approachable allowing you to get within inches of them for very close up shots.

Brown Hawkers. Flight period early July to mid October. Very wary Dragonflies and I find that they will take flight as soon as they detect your presence unless you are lucky enough to catch them eating some type of prey and then if you are very careful you can sometimes sneak up on them and get a photograph. I find that a decent tele-photo zoom lens is often better than a macro lens to get photographs of this insect as this means you don't have to be as close to them as with a macro lens.

Norfolk Hawkers. Flight period end of May to end of July. I have very little experience of this Dragonfly. I have only had the chance to photograph these at the one location (Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk) for a few hours. However they are in my opinion the most striking coloured Hawker with their golden brown bodies, black and brown legs and striking emerald green eyes. They really have to be seen in the flesh to appreciate the true beauty of them.

Emperor Dragonfly. Flight period early June to early September. Britains largest dragonfly in terms of wingspan. Very difficult to approach and one for the tele-photo zoom lens rather than the macro lens. A stunning dragonfly with the males having blue bodies with a black central stripe and the females green bodies with a black central stripe.

Kingfishers

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:33:38 GMT

Fungi

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:39:24 GMT

Messingham nature reserve North Lincolnshire

Crakes/Grebes/Rails

rgmelross@aol.com (Lincsbirder wildlife photography) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:31:21 GMT