Wild birds (incl. RWBs :))

[cmM]

Sunday morning at about 3AM i was contemplating whether to sleep or go shoot some birds.... I finally decided to pass on sleeping and go out and shoot.
I went to Lake Renwick (about an hour away). I started driving early, so I made it there about half an hour before sunrise :D
I was actually hoping for some herons or egrets, but had to settle for small birds since the egrets were happily hanging out in the middle of the lake, far beyond the reach of my lens.... I'll go back though, take some carrots with me or something to bribe the herons :-P (right Ian?).
Anyway, what had promissed to be a nice day turned out into rain, so I had about 30 minutes of golden light, another 20 of nicely diffused light throught some thin clouds, and eventually the sky turned 18% grey and it started raining at which point I had no choice but to go home.
Here's what the sky looked like before the sunrise:

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren01.jpg

And this is what it turned into, in about an hour:

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren12.jpg

(those are my 2 landscapes, shot handheld, with the 100-400 :))

Anyway, here are some of the small birds I shot in the meantime:

RWB (I don't know if that's their mating dance or something, but I've seen a whole bunch of them doing it):

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren04.jpg

Another Red Winged Blackbird:

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren05.jpg

Again, doing the "dance"

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren06.jpg

Now only if I had framed this one a little better....:confused: (it was a lucky shot)

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren13.jpg

A goldfinch (I chased this guy around for about 30 minutes, wouldn't stay in one spot for 5 seconds)... Of course, after I had given up he landed about 10ft away from me and stayed a little bit, and of course my lens was switched to 6m - infinity focus, so by the time I switched back he flew away :)

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren08.jpg

...And a tree swallow:

http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren11.jpg

Hope you like ;)

[skade]

Great shots! I really like the first and the last!

[sparker1]

Some good shots. Sounds like an interesting day, despite the rain.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Nice, I love the scenics :)

[cmM]

Thanks for the nice comments skade, sparker, CDS ;)

[WepWaWep]

One and five are sweet, the others are great with the unfortunate problems that the nasty little beasties refuse to pose and those darn trees are always jumping in front of the lens. Lovely color and composition.

[Solo175]

They are all nice. I would have to say that I like #2 land and skyscape and the last bird "pose" the best.
There is an old saying somewhere;
"Red Sky at morning, Shepards warning"
"Red Sky at night, Shepards delight"

[dewmuw]

Nice pics. When you were chasing the gold finch did you see any wild geese? :)

[cmM]

thanks for the comments guys
Yea, the branches and leaves seemed to be everywhere

Damian, as a matter of fact, I've seen a few :-P
http://www.cmuntean.net/images/may01ren14.jpg

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Woah, spiffy!