My first real thread in here......GBH, Osprey, and an Eagle story.....

So I'll start out by sharing my story from today, as brief as possible.

Yesterday, I made the 3.5hr drive to VA Beach to NAS Oceana airbase......for the annual airshow. Ultimately, after being there 2hrs.....they called the show off. Then we leave the base to get food, before heading home. Thirty minutes later, from the restaurant parking lot......we hear the F16 demo team in the air. Talk about disappointment.....

Today, I packed up my gear and decided to head to the lake.....to hunt for Osprey and Eagles. Made the 45 minute drive, and immediately ran into an Osprey. I had already setup my camera (from my crazy settings for the air show, since it was rainy/overcast)......s​o I was ready as soon as I saw or heard something. The Osprey called out since I was close, then took off. I was ~15 ft from him. After getting a good pic of him before taking off, then 4-5 in burst as he flew away....I checked the pics to make sure I nailed the exposure. The pics are REALLY cloudy and blue. I double check my settings, WB and all......everything looks perfect. I look at the end of my 100-400 lens, and see it is foggy on the INNER glass. I guess all of the moisture from the air show made its way into the lens. Whoops...

I felt like throwing the 100-400L into the lake, with the 1D attached. I stood there for a few minutes in disbelief, then started heading back towards the trail towards my truck. About 10 minutes later (walking on the shore of the lake), right before I turned up the trail back to my truck.....I looked at the lens again. It was clearing up. After 20-30 minutes being outside in the warm air, the fog/film disappeared. I am sure it still needs to be cleaned up though.

Thats my story. And I am no bird photographer, but I have always been wanting to actually get out for the purpose of shooting some raptors. I've been motivated by Duane N on here.......since I know him from riding quads. His Eagle pics are outstanding, and I just wanted the chance to get a shot even half as decent as one of his examples.....or the same for some of you who take incredible bird shots. My biggest limiting factor today was my lens though. A 600mm would have been perfect.

Anyways......on to the pics. Any CC is appreciated, good/bad/whatever you have. I know these shots aren't great by any means, but a few are decent at least.

The Great Blue Heron, the most elusive bird to me.....next to a White Egret. I can inch forward like a ninja, and barely be visible between trees......and both of these species will take off out of sight. Bah.

1

nice entrance! Welcome here. : )

Sorry about the airshow D...I didn't even attempt to try and make it. For some reason rain and photography don't mix for me.

Thanks for the kind words...once Eagle nesting season starts (we all have our fingers crossed it will happen this year and it looks promising with the recent reports) you need to make a trip up here and you can get all the Eagle photographs you want. It's been spotty right now but things should start picking up.

Sounds like you had a memorable time and I think that's what matters...enjoying the moment. You managed some excellent in-flights to remember this day by.

And where the heck did those blue skies come from. lol

Really like 6 and 7 nice and crisp and great head angle.

I took a photo class last year and in the middle of the day we went into an airconditioned
building for some photoshop work. Everyone made the mistake of bringing our equipment
inside. We headed back outside and every lens was fogged all to hell. Ah well another lesson
learned I guess.

Really nice first post!!

peregrineflier wrote in post #13162557
nice entrance! Welcome here. : )

Thanks.

Duane N wrote in post #13163903
Sorry about the airshow D...I didn't even attempt to try and make it. For some reason rain and photography don't mix for me.

Thanks for the kind words...once Eagle nesting season starts (we all have our fingers crossed it will happen this year and it looks promising with the recent reports) you need to make a trip up here and you can get all the Eagle photographs you want. It's been spotty right now but things should start picking up.

Sounds like you had a memorable time and I think that's what matters...enjoying the moment. You managed some excellent in-flights to remember this day by.

And where the heck did those blue skies come from. lol

Yeah I am still bummed about the air show. Guaranteed vapor shots on every jet. And the blue skies were abundant down here all day yesterday.....that rain was moving NNE, so it skipped us and instead covered you guys all day. Heard the Blue Angels still didn't get to fly Sunday either.

Garry Gibson wrote in post #13164336
Really like 6 and 7 nice and crisp and great head angle.

I took a photo class last year and in the middle of the day we went into an airconditioned
building for some photoshop work. Everyone made the mistake of bringing our equipment
inside. We headed back outside and every lens was fogged all to hell. Ah well another lesson
learned I guess.

Really nice first post!!

Yup, I've done the AC --> humidity thing too many times, it took several for me to learn my lesson. Thanks

Nice set. I really like 4.

Nice set of shots

mjHession wrote in post #13166402
Nice set. I really like 4.

m52 wrote in post #13167529
Nice set of shots

Thanks!

nicely done .. #4 for me