Europes Smallest Bird

[BlueTit]

Have been trying to get a decent shot of this guy for ages and as you can see I still have not succeeded. He is a very small little guy and very skittish, but comes for a bath most evenings about 19:30, I was waiting for him this evening and got a half decent shot. Hard to believe he only weighs 5 grams and is smaller than a wren.

http://photos9.flickr.com/15343536_63488775a3_o.jpg

http://photos12.flickr.com/15343537_8945a39d00_o.jpg

20D 300 L IS f4

1st: ISO 800 f5.6 1/100s
2nd ISO 800 f4 1/250s

[Mannytkd]

Not bad, at least you've got the camera to catch them.....fast little sods....!!!

[Paul A]

Good pics, what is he?

[BlueTit]

Forgot to say in post :rolleyes: he or it is a Goldcrest.

[lomond]

Not bad at all.
Thats a very fine shot of a tiny skittish bird.
Well done.

[marie]

they are lovely shots Daragh

I think it's a Goldcrest ( of the family regulidae)
I got a few shots of the blue tit (the other side of what's in your avatar) http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif through the kitchen window (shut ) and love them
even though I will never get a good shot through the glass and the background is 'noisy' with dark branches etc it's lovely to catch them in any way
every time I see your avatar I want to show you this little fellow because it's showing the back of yourshttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif
I like your shots a lot.

I was leaning over a sink trying to catch them . and couldn't open the window as they would fly away

they flit around so much, anything you catch in a shot is good
(even a feather)
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[marie]

Forgot to say in post http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif he or it is a Goldcrest.


oops oops oops

just saw this now Daragh

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif


glad you said the name as I wasn't sure

[Mannytkd]

The there is the Wren, second smallest. Where i live there are loads of them.

[robertwgross]

Bring along a long lens if you want to shoot tiny birds in North America. There are some hummingbirds that tip the scales under three grams.

---Bob Gross---

[BlueTit]

Thanx Marie, yes the Blue Tit is good fun to try and catch, the problem with the Goldcrest is he has very drap colours and he never seems to turn his Goldcrested head towards the camera :confused: I got a Blue Tit just after his bath while I was waiting for the the Goldcrest to make an apearance, also got a Great Tit, before his bath!

Blue Tit

http://photos9.flickr.com/15343539_6226cb8bc4_o.jpg

Great Tit

http://photos14.flickr.com/15343534_bdc8871a5a_o.jpg

[marie]

they are just gorgeous
especially the first 'ruffled look' shot
love them.
I love the setting too

:cool:

[gkuenning]

Is the setting in your own yard? I'm wondering if maybe you could rig up a temporary background that would reduce clutter and improve the contrast. As you say, he's a drab--or maybe better, well-camouflaged--little fellow.

[cfcRebel]

Nice shots Daragh! Interesting birds! Thanks for sharing.

[weemannie]

Lovely shots.

You're lucky getting the goldcrest. I usually get them high in the conifers flitting all over the place:D

[BlueTit]

Gkuenning, yes it is in our garden, I have a pond and the filter feed the water back in a "brick box" above the pond where it runs down as a waterfall. I tis very popular with all the birds, but unfortunately it was not designed with photography in mind, the is only one awkard angle I can shot from where I can see the birds, otherwise they are hidden behind the top row of bricks and all I see is splases of water. It is not really practical to set up a temporary background but I have put a real bird bath just near by hoping the birds will start to use that and sometimes they do, but not the Goldcrest -- yet!

Weemannie, I know I am lucky, this little fellow has been visting for about a year and I have never seen one anywhere else, the garden is small and we live very near the centre of the city so there are no coniferous forest for it to live in, so I don't know why he is around at all, though I am very glad he (she) is.

[V6GTO]

The there is the Wren, second smallest. Where i live there are loads of them.

Not quite true I'm afraid. I hate to be a wise guy, but there is the Firecrest too, same as a Goldcrest but with a much orangier marking, and rarer too.

Martin.

[BlueTit]

V6GTO, thanx for the info, never heard of a Firecrest but I see on Birds of Britain they are rarer, but the same size as a Goldcrest!

http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/goldcrest.htm

I don't care which is the smallest, I am delighted to have a Goldcrest visiting regularly.