Water Babies

I have been a bit slack lately, I started writing this post about three or four days ago. Just goes to show I do actually work through the week! We feed the birds on a regular basis in our back yard, and one of the things birds like to do after dinner is clean up. The birdbath becomes a busy place and for the most part they are a bit shy about going there when I am watching. Understandable as I wouldn't be happy with a bunch of birds watching me take a bath either!

So I set up the camera and the remote so that they could have their privacy and I could still get the shots. The only trouble was I could see the birdbath from the computer so I had to go by sound alone. If I heard a splash I pushed the remote button. It worked surprisingly well!

What surprised me the most was not only the amount of birds you can fit into a tiny bird bath, but the different types of birds and their interactions with each other. The sparrows would sit around the edges while the starlings splashed about, this gave them a light cooling off shower without having to get totally into the water. It seemed to work for many of them - not all though, as there were some sparrows looking like downed mice from time to time.

The Bird Tree

I get easily bored of doing the same thing over and over. I know that is what I have to do to achieve the perfect shot - practice makes perfect and all that, but sometimes you just need a change.  Today I did something different!

I have created a bird tree!  Or at the very least a branch of birds. I have found that the sparrows just love millet, so I pegged some in the tree to see what would happen when I tried to photograph them at it. I am really happy with the results - if I could change anything it would be to move the tree but that is easier said that done.

The afternoon sun creating a nice back lit effect to wings spread in semi flight whilst struggling to get a grip on the millet was a great deal of fun to photograph.  You can expect to see many more like these until I get bored again.

Capturing fast flight

Juvenile Starling - I was quite taken with the spots :)

So after all my efforts to capture the fast little waxeyes in flight, I have decided the shots don't really excite me all that much. I prefer the image with more character. They are such quirky little birds with the cutest of faces that just make you want to go "awwww", but when in flight they are just another bird flying. How sad is that :)

Female Sparrow

Over the last few months that I have been photographing the waxeyes in my backyard, I have come to know some of them.  There is one that has small white feathers sticking out on the side - she seems to be a prolific breeder as we have seen several clutches of chicks from her since spring - and there is 'broken beak'. Broken beak is named because of one of his deformities. He has half the bottom of his beak broken off, and he is missing a couple of claws on his feet. He comes daily for food and is probably only alive because of the easy food supply.

'Broken Beak' leaping to another perch

Broken beak is also no stranger to the camera. Whenever I am striving to get a particular shot of the  birds when it comes time for processing nine out of ten shots will be of him. He is not as flighty as the others and will sit longer on the tree branches before jumping up to the feeders. He waits his turn and in that time I get to fire off the camera. I can't see it is him from a distance so end up taking huge amounts of shots of the same bird, which of course I don't want to do!

'Broken Beak' again during lift-off

I must do some research on the life span of the waxeyes, as this little guy has obviously decided to make this home and expects to be fed. I am sure winter would be harder for him than right now when there is an abundance of food about - time will tell as to whether he keeps visiting the feeder or not.

'Broken Beak' in flight

'Broken Beak' in flight

In flight

One of the things that I have struggled with while photographing the Waxeyes, is capturing them in flight. They are very small birds and move really really fast!  So I end up with lots of images of bird on branch, then no bird on branch and I continually miss that millisecond in between when there is lift off.

So I try and anticipate their take offs using continuous shooting but alas, the same happens because my camera can only take 5 or 6 shots before it has to save and even then the bird can disappear between two of those continuous shots. They are just that quick. I have come to the conclusion that I have a need for speed!

A friend came to my rescue and has let me use her camera a couple of times. It is a Canon 7D and is built for speed. At 8 frames per second and bursts of way more than six shots, while still difficult it was possible to capture the take off.  I am now patiently waiting for the Canon 7D MkII to come out and I will then be the first to the store to purchase one.

And a cute sparrow shot to finish with :)

Second round of chicks

When spring first showed itself we had lot of chicks showing up in our garden and then for a while the bird numbers dropped again. Now we are on the second round of chicks. Sparrows, starlings, blackbirds and waxeye chicks are all bouncing around in the trees looking for food from their parents.  It is not often they get into a position where I can photograph them feeding but the other day I was lucky!

I am learning the different behaviours of the birds and can pretty much predict what comes next when I see them doing something. It is pretty easy to see which chick is going to get fed next and to have the camera focused and ready. They just have to be in a position that is free of obstructions and where I can focus on them clearly.  The ponga fern just outside the door was the perfect spot as far as I was concerned!

I am still struggling to get some good flight images. I have managed a few but none that I consider to have that wow factor and that is what I am looking for. While the birds keep visiting I will keep trying. I can only get better with practice.

Visiting Photogs

We have two visiting photographers from Auckland, (they also happen to be my mother and her husband), and the plan of the trip was to get out and take nature photographs. Typical Wellington has put on its best weather for the event and while we drove around most of my usual haunts, the wind chased us back home.

So I introduced them to my backyard birds. The birds all came out to play regardless of the wind and we managed to get some good images. It is good to have a plan B and especially when it means not having to leave the house. We stay tucked up warm inside and the birds perform just out the door.

Hopefully tomorrow's weather will be calmer and warmer and we will get out to places like Zealandia and the Zoo. Matiu Somes Island is also on the list of places to go if the weather plays nice. If not, well there is always the scrabble board!

New Year's Eve

 The last day of 2012. I will need to start a new folder on my computer for my photos tomorrow and catch up on all my cataloging so I can find images when I want them. This morning I was up early, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the camera was sitting begging me to pick it up. So I did.  I love that I can take nature shots without even leaving the house, it is such a treat!

The next week will be an intensive photography week for me, my mother is coming to stay and being a keen photographer herself, she wants to go to all my local haunts to see what she can capture. So visits to Zealandia, the Zoo, Matiu/Somes Island are but a few of the places we will be going to. By the end of the week I am going to be ready to go back to work for a rest!

I hope you all have a happy and safe New Year!

The bird bath

It has been very hot here the last few days and I have taken to relaxing in the back of the house by the open doors with my feet up enjoying the breeze. Of course I have my camera sitting on my knee and if the birds are brave enough to make it to the birdbath then I can photograph them. The birds think it is far to close to the camera but the heat of the afternoon made them a little bit braver.

Once they get used to it being there and my not hurting them I am sure the opportunities to photograph bird water play will increase. You could call me a lazy photographer doing this but I am finding that the longer you just sit and watch the birds, the better versed you become in their behaviour and better able you are to predict their movements. Getting that good shot is all about patience.

I had lots of patience while I was shooting these images, I fell asleep in my chair and had a nice snooze. I am surprised the snoring didn't scare the birds away!

Newcomers and regulars

 

We have several bird species visiting our garden now but every now and then I am surprised by a newcomer. I am not overly happy about the latest one because he may return with all his mates! I am hoping not and won't be putting any scraps out for a day or so to discourage it.

For the regulars of course there will always be food out for them, or at least that is the intention. Sometimes they get greedy and the food trays run out during the day when I am not here. We have a tui who comes by at least twice a day for a quick drink of the sugar water then is off on his merry way.

It is easy to know when he is going to visit because ALL of the other birds scatter and hide. I guess the tui is at the top of the pecking order in our garden. He commands privacy while he feeds and other than myself and the camera he gets it!

The newcomer is a pigeon. He's not even a pretty pigeon and certainly looks well fed. I hope he was just bought here by the strong winds and can find his way home - pigeons are supposed to be able to do that I believe. I really don't want the smaller birds scared away by a flock of hungry pigeons.

Altering the Universe

The puddle has dried up for the Summer and even if we fill it, it is just getting slimy and icky. The birds were still doing their best to get some water out of the dried mud, so yesterday I dragged out last years broken bird bath and rigged it up for them to use instead. It took about 3 hours before they trusted it enough to try it out. Today it is a part of their universe and not at all scarey like it was the day before.

The birdbath started out full, however I think I am going to be heading out there again soon to refill it. The blackbirds are great at splashing the water all over the place and it makes it difficult for the sparrows to reach when they want a drink.