Pics from the National Bird of Prey centre, Gloucestershire

[DaveMcBride]

As I said in my last post, most of the flying shots were binned....must try a different technique next time. Here's the best 12 of what was left.

http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x26/DaveMcBride/National%20Birds%20of%20Prey%20centre/

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x26/DaveMcBride/National%20Birds%20of%20Prey%20centre/_MG_9882-1.jpg

[pixelhack]

Fantastic shot. It all came together for that one.

[philc123]

Stunning shot! Well framed and great detail. Great capture. :)

[DaveMcBride]

Thanks for the comments, it is nearly impossible to photograph the falcons in flight. The only place you could get a focus point on one was when they turned in mid air to come back down again. I didn't get any of the Merlin hybrid at all as he was a maniac. He gets a kick from flying through the spectators, at head height, at full speed, missing them by inches. Apparently he broke his collar bone on two occasions when people moved. Before he flies we are all told NOT to move, and I can personally tell you that having a bird coming at your at face full speed is scary, on the second pass his wing tip missed my ear by an inch and sounded like some one had just swung a sword past my head! Wish someone could have videoed that so I could've seen the expression on my face:shock:

I took a lot more pics on my previous visits that can be seen here if you feel the urge to look at a thousand Red Kite pics....I'm not obsesssed, honest.
http://www.moparuk.co.uk/dmb_photographic/nbpc/index.html

[gymell]

Great job photographing an extremely difficult subject. Sounds like a fun place to visit. I'd be thrilled to capture a falcon in flight.

[aligater]

Dave the flight shots are fantastic..........if i was being super critical i would clone out the jessies...still a great set.

[sm1rf]

Outstanding..........i'll say no more!

[lammie]

This is a brilliant flight shot Dave. I think most of us have the same problem with binning a lot more flight shots than we keep. Nice album you have on the link.

Don.

[Sindri Skulason]

Great shot indeed. :-)

[mikeb540]

fantastic! iv been on this forum for a few days now, and im so happy to see so many raptor favs here, i just wish they had shows like that in my neck of the woods. great work again
mike

[DaveMcBride]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Whereabouts are you Mike?. The NBPC is a 90 minute drive from me.

[TenaCJed]

Even if most of the flying shots did not turn out, that one is great and makes it all worth it. Sounds like a great place to go, good story to go with the pic!

[Bill Roberts]

I've got to echo what TenaCJed says above. Honestly Dave, if you took a few hundred shots and only walked away with that one, it would be worth it.

[Anke]

All of the BIF shots are winners, Dave. Really really great images.

[DonE]

Very nice inflight shot Dave. It really stands out.