Category Archives: Wildlife

Samples of wildlife photography

Green Woodpecker, Ratty, and some fireworks

November 5, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

A bit of a mixed bag today, but it started well when I spotted a green woodpecker looking for breakfast (the woodpecker, not me) in a field just outside Falmer.

Green woodpecker

Green woodpecker

Green woodpecker

The rats were also enjoying an early feed, grabbing scraps that the ducks couldn’t reach.

Rat with bread

By lunchtime we were into another sunny, but cold day. More rats provided the entertainment.

Rats

Rat and baby

Rat and baby rat

As for this evening, well it’s November the 5th which means fireworks. Here’s a couple of shots OPFs (other people’s fireworks) taken from the garden.

fireworks

fireworks

Camera note: wildlife photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. Fireworks taken with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

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Cool Day for Coots

November 5, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

After yesterday’s deluge, some welcome sunshine. True, the ground was sodden, but it made a change to have blue skies. Still playing with the camera and trying things out, but there was no need to push ISO settings today so I just concentrated on taking pictures. Of coots.

Coot

There’s a small group of them on the pond, which is in itself slightly unusual. This isn’t one of their usual haunts, but they seem to be fitting in well with the ducks, gulls and moorhens. Like the slightly smaller moorhen, the coot is a member of the rail family and shares a number of characteristics, including absurd feet (though those were kept well out of sight today).

coot

“Smile for the camera”

Coot

Those are all early morning shots. There was more variety at lunchtime, and it was brighter.

There were ducks, dabbling…

ducks

Moorhens calling…

Moorhens

A herring gull splashing…

herring gull

And still there were coots, calmly patrolling the pond.

Coot

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. I added the
Canon EF 1.4xIII extender for the final shot of the gull.

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Fine Weather for Ducks

November 4, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

Today proved to be perfect weather for ducks, and pretty good weather for testing out the 7D Mark II in some fairly challenging conditions. I’m still tweaking settings as I go, but I’m getting it closer to how I want it to work and learning more about some of the incredibly useful controls you can use while still glued to the viewfinder.

Anyway, it was raining cats and dogs this morning when I arrived at Falmer Pond. Not that the ducks were complaining. Given the conditions I would not have attempted these shots with the original 7D. It was truly gloomy out there, but a good test of the cameras ISO capability. After the first shot I increased ISO from 1600 to 3200 to retain a decent shutter speed.

Duck in rain

Sleeping duck (ISO 1600)

Duck in rain

Happy Duck (ISO 3200)

Duck in rain

Serious Duck (ISO 3200)

It was still raining at lunchtime, though there were breaks in the weather. The ducks were still enjoying themselves.

Hybrid Duck (ISO 3200)

Hybrid Duck (ISO 3200)

white duck

White Duck (ISO 3200)

A female mallard flew across the pond. These are from a longer sequence

Duck in flight

Duck in flight (ISO 2000)

Duck in flight

Duck in flight (ISO 2000)

And to close: Swimming in the Rain…

Ducks swimming

Swimming in the Rain (ISO 1600)

Still much to learn and to test out, but early impressions are of a highly responsive camera, with great and easily accessible controls, great focusing and excellent low light capability.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

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