Purple Martins at Montezuma NWR
Jun 21, 2013 10:45:08 #
I spent last Wednesday at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge near Seneca Falls, NY. There wasn't much happening around the wildlife drive so I spend some time at the Visitor's Center, where they have a Purple Martin Condo, practicing shooting the Martins as they went back and forth from hunting forays to their nests to feed their young.
Small birds are a challenge and I used my Canon 100-400 f/4.5 Zoom hand held rather than the larger 500 mm because it is lighter and easier to move quickly to track the fast moving birds. The zoom also allows me to zoom out to locate the bird and then zoom in to focus and shoot. Finding a fast moving bird in the viewfinder at close range can be frustrating and zooming can really help.
The birds followed a regular pattern as they approached the nests coming in into the wind which also put the sun at my left rear. This allowed me to lock on to a bird long before it was in range to photograph it.
Small birds are really difficult and it was great fun to practice. In all, I shot about 500 frames and maybe two dozen are up to standards i.e. in focus, well lit and in an interesting pose. I hope you enjoy these examples!
Small birds are a challenge and I used my Canon 100-400 f/4.5 Zoom hand held rather than the larger 500 mm because it is lighter and easier to move quickly to track the fast moving birds. The zoom also allows me to zoom out to locate the bird and then zoom in to focus and shoot. Finding a fast moving bird in the viewfinder at close range can be frustrating and zooming can really help.
The birds followed a regular pattern as they approached the nests coming in into the wind which also put the sun at my left rear. This allowed me to lock on to a bird long before it was in range to photograph it.
Small birds are really difficult and it was great fun to practice. In all, I shot about 500 frames and maybe two dozen are up to standards i.e. in focus, well lit and in an interesting pose. I hope you enjoy these examples!
Take off!
Martins hunt insects on the wing. How can a bird catch so many bugs in one flight?
Nesting Material.
Jun 21, 2013 11:00:51 #
I'd say you did a fine job. Small BIF are hard to get. These are great.
Jun 21, 2013 12:13:02 #
Jun 21, 2013 22:32:29 #
Jul 14, 2013 19:53:50 #
CJartist wrote:
Ed, really great shots of the Purple Martins, enjoyed viewing
Me, too.
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Jul 17, 2013 17:21:41 #
Jul 20, 2013 10:02:55 #
Beautiful job on these! Hard little critter to get some decent shots of. Love them!
Aug 6, 2013 07:13:24 #
Really nice. I can attest to the fact that small fast birds are hard to catch. You have done a remarkable job. My favorites are the last two, beautiful.
Aug 9, 2013 12:45:13 #
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