Whiteness: Great Egret and Foster's Tern

[jorj7]

Here are a few shots from Tuesday. The first three are taken
at the Berkeley Aquatic Park using the 20D, FD500 f4.5 with
FD-EOS converter on a monopod. ISO 400, -66-33 EV, f8, AV mode.
I liked the detail in the white feathers.

1 The pose
http://birds.jorj7.com/060926-mudflats/0926-160337.jpg

2 Sees something
http://birds.jorj7.com/060926-mudflats/0926-160407-01.jpg

3 Getting a closer look
http://birds.jorj7.com/060926-mudflats/0926-160621.jpg

The nexted two are of young Foster's Tern at the Albany Mudflats. These
were taken with the XT and 400 f5.6L, ISO 400, f6.3, AV mode. On these
I like the shape and detail of the wings and tail, though I wish I could see
his eyes.

4 Hovering
http://birds.jorj7.com/060926-mudflats/0926-170006.jpg

5 Ready to dive
http://birds.jorj7.com/060926-mudflats/0926-170006-01.jpg

[Sindri Skulason]

Wow...excellent shots. Good work George. :-)

[Reyno]

Very nice captures George.

[ZipDude66]

Got to like these George. Tern's in the air are great just need the eye. How do your like the 500 4.5? That was my lens of choice but couldn't find one, so I got for 500 4.0.

Zip
Wild66.com

[Billginthekeys]

nice shots. the terns are great for sure. like the last egret a lot too.

[Paul A]

Excellent series George.

[jorj7]

Sindri, Reyno, Zip, Billy, Paul,
Thanks for the compliments.

Zip,
The FD 500 f4.5L is a very nice lens. The FD-EOS adapter does effect the image
quality, but it's still better then any other 500-600mm lens that I've owned/tried.
Once you get use to the manual focus and aperature control it'll produce some very
good images. But if given a chance, I'd take a EF 500 f4L IS...

Here is a 100% crop, no PP of image 3:

http://sis24.berkeley.edu/view/060926-mudflats/0926-160621-crop.jpg

[Lame-Duck]

George....Those are excellent shots.....The white birds are never easy. The shots of the Egret are excellent, but I absolutely love the in flight shots of the tern......they depict incredible action.

[calicokat]

Good looking shots, I like the #2 pose best

[Billginthekeys]

wow, man, those flying shots were MF? much more props then. great job.

[kr88]

Good jub with this set. I really like those flight shots and to think they were MF...awesome! Well done.

[jorj7]

Billy, Keith,

I'm sorry for the confusion. The Egret was shot with the 20D and FD 500L, the
Tern was shot with the XT and EF 400L (I was carring both). I have taken some
in fight shots with the FD 500L, but the "keeper" rate is a lot lower then with
the EF 400L. Here is one I put an in earlier post:

http://sis24.berkeley.edu/view/060926-mudflats/0926-170418-01.jpg

[Billginthekeys]

well regardless, great shots.

[ZipDude66]

I didn't realize these were shot with a FD 500 4.5. I figured they were shot with a 500 4.5 USM. That was my lens of choice over the 500 4.0 IS. Wanted less weight!

Real good shots using MF.

Zip
Wild66.com