Well today I took my new camera on its first outing to the Hunter Wetlands Centre, in its new case. It was so heavy I had to keep changing hands.
I love flight photos, so I tried out shutter priority. The auto focus is great - it is so fast I can get the birds straight away. My other camera can be too slow, so I am almost screaming out loud in frustration because I am tracking well and the camera won't focus.
I was sitting on a bench photographing the whistling kite. When it went I looked into the swamp and saw a grey goshawk on a tree. Later the whistling kites were being mobbed by small birds. I think the last photo shows one on the upper wing
oops!
great flight photos birdgirl.
the smaller bird pursuing the kite looks like a white-breasted woodswallow. i always find it amusing to watch small birds pester their giant enemies - the BOP's
Cheers, Owen.
the first BOP looks like a little eagle to me, but i could be wrong.
the grey goshawk shots are also great, love the way he is looking for prey. i would love to see a grey goshawk but i don't know anywhere in melbourne to find them.
Cheers, Owen.
Well done Birdgirl. It'll take a while to get used to the new kit but you sure wont have any trouble with speed of focus now that is for sure!
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Wow birdgirl really nice photos. You and your new camera are doing really well.
That's definitely a Little Eagle Birdgirl! Well done! Not the most common species that's for sure. The large, white, M shape under the wings is a dead giveaway of this species when in flight. Although a darker morph would be harder to tell, but the general impression of size and shape (aka GISS) would still be a dead giveaway to me. You should remember well how it flew/glided then next time you see a Whistling Kite, try and compare in your mind. :)
Amazing! the bird list they hand out at the front desk only lists whistling kites, swamp harriers and white-bellied sea eagles, so I didn't think further. I don't know why, since I found a grey goshawk myself. I'll have to rethink all my sightings of whistling kites in the area - there are heaps. I'll look at the rest of my photos from yesterday too - I think I got a darker BOP with broader wings and at one stage a pair flew over.
Windhover, were you surprised I did go ahead and get the camera?
Great shots of the raptors, Birdgirl. I love the brave Woodswallow! I have only ever seen a Grey Goshawk once, when we were at O'Reilly's. My wife spotted one from our accommodation. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
George
Melbourne, VIC