Bird ID Please - Kinglet?

I believe that these are shots of female Ruby Crowned Kinglets. If so they are my first shots of this species.

I was in Hamilton this weekend and managed to take a couple of shots while there. There was a small flock of these birds flitting about some budding hardwoods and some spruce as well. I had a very hard time get them to stay still long enough to get a shot. They, of course, were back lit as well.

Bigma handheld with fill flash. These are both cropped about 50 % from full frame. I'm not sure about how I've cropped them and I perhaps should have given them more room in the frame.

In any event I'm really posting them for ID confirmation. Thanks for looking.

Hi - excellent images and yes it is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Great shots Stephen. I haven't seen a kinglet yet, but these have that look.

What kind of setting do you use for "Fill" flash? I don't quite understand how to do although I know what the term means.

Stephen, you're right on the ID.

Mitch: I don't know how Stephen does it, but I experiment based on the existing light and set my flash strength through the camera's flash exposure compensation feature. Usually, I'm from -1/3 to -2/3, but it can vary. I have an older Canon flash (EX380) that doesn't allow EC on the flash itself. All the newer models allow you to set EC on the flash instead of the camera, if that's what you prefer.

And Mitch, I expect you know this, but I'll just add it in case others aren't familiar with the principles of fill flash. The goal is to give just enough fill to add detail to the shadows but not enough to make it look garish. If it looks to your eye like a flash was used, then too much flash was used. It can be a very fine line.

Very nice Stephen, I dont know how you managed to get them to sit for even the time it took for your shutter to flip. Well done on these never-stop birds.

Thanks Steve. I need to read my manual.

These birds are the definition of perpetual motion !! Great shots , I really like the first it is very sharp and I love the perch and pose. Could you repost the first with a little more room just see if I would like it better .

Stephen, nice shots! Neat little perch you got him on in the first shot.

Nicely done!!!!

Go job with the flash Stephen also nice pose and perch on the first.

Thank you Dave for your comment and the confirmation.

canonloader wrote in post #3165920
Great shots Stephen. I haven't seen a kinglet yet, but these have that look.

What kind of setting do you use for "Fill" flash? I don't quite understand how to do although I know what the term means.

stevefossimages wrote in post #3168106
Stephen, you're right on the ID.

Mitch: I don't know how Stephen does it, but I experiment based on the existing light and set my flash strength through the camera's flash exposure compensation feature. Usually, I'm from -1/3 to -2/3, but it can vary. I have an older Canon flash (EX380) that doesn't allow EC on the flash itself. All the newer models allow you to set EC on the flash instead of the camera, if that's what you prefer.

And Mitch, I expect you know this, but I'll just add it in case others aren't familiar with the principles of fill flash. The goal is to give just enough fill to add detail to the shadows but not enough to make it look garish. If it looks to your eye like a flash was used, then too much flash was used. It can be a very fine line.

Thanks Mitch. Steve has given you, and others, a good explanation. I will even use -1 to -2 at times because as Steve says: "not enough to make it look garish". If I have any whites or grays in the shots I can usually tell if it looks washed out and reduce the flash even more. Sometimes no matter what you do the lense in the eyes turn white and I have to do some post processing to darken them up. I've noticed that eyes in nocturnal animals like racoons will "glow" no matter what small amount of fil flash that you use.

Trevor, Chris, Dan, Gary and Zip thank you for taking the time to comment. I will admit that I got more blurred shots than sharp ones but at least I can check this species off my collection list as a start.

I was playing with the flash as it got dark. Even had the manual out and I think I have it figured out now.

Beautiful shots. Very well done.