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Calling cuckoo

Gallery: Regional: UKNPPosted May 24, 2011249 views14 comments

Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) - Essex.

Canon 7D, 600/f4, WH2 + Gitzo 3530LSV.
Manual exposure mode f11, 1/250, iso 400.
RAW image processed in Capture One; sharpened in Photoshop CS5; noise reduction using Noiseware Professional; full frame.

Haven't posted anything for a long time, mainly due to computer issues - Windows 7

Cuckoos have been high on my list of birds to photograph for quite a few years. They mostly perch on overhead wires around here which are too ugly and too high, but recently, while engaged on another project, I noticed this individual coming back fairly regularly to this same hawthorn.

This was shot yesterday and its horrific to see hawthorn berries already forming on the trees.

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by David Sewell on May 24, 2011 at 6:45 AM

Fabulous picture, Phil.

David

Registered on September 10, 2008, 63 Posts, 801 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Summers on May 24, 2011 at 10:13 AM

A lovely clear image some good detail, one I have yet to get

Registered on December 3, 2009, 83 Posts, 818 Comments

Comment posted by Dave Courtenay on May 24, 2011 at 1:44 PM

Nice light on this one Phil,

How are you finding the 7D?

Dave

Registered on July 18, 2005, 56 Posts, 462 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Askew on May 24, 2011 at 2:29 PM

Loverly shot of this bird

Registered on February 19, 2011, 11 Posts, 90 Comments

Comment posted by Oscar Dewhurst on May 24, 2011 at 2:56 PM

Very nice - really like it

Oscar

by the way, have you changed from Nikon

Registered on August 6, 2009, 85 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on May 24, 2011 at 5:05 PM

Excellent shot- Beautiful detail (terrific on larger version), nice pose and perfect exposure- Very well done, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Phillip Tomkinson on May 25, 2011 at 6:30 AM

Hi Phil a top shot.

Phil.

Registered on July 14, 2005, 194 Posts, 427 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Shaw on May 25, 2011 at 7:53 AM

Thanks for all the comments.

Hi Dave - I think the 7D is the best camera that Canon have produced since the 1D2N - and I've had them all

Of course it has its limitations, or at least the limitations that I place on it in terms of noise and ISO, but if I want high ISO, I use the D3. The video from the 7D is fantastic.

Interesting story about the 1D4 I had: Got a phone call out of the blue a couple of months ago from a photog in the Midlands. He wanted to know if I had ever owned a Mk4. I told him that I got one as soon as they came out, but I returned it after a week as the images were not consistently sharply focused and I didn't like the overall image quality. I asked him why he was phoning me about this and how had he got my phone number as I didn't know him. He said that he had just bought a new Mk4 as a back-up from his local dealer and in checking it over, was surprised to find my ownership details stored in the camera memory. Oooops! I asked what he was going to do about it and he said that he was going to return it anyway as he had tested it against his other Mk4 and he thought there something wrong with the autofocus.

Oscar - I shoot with both Canon (7D + 1DsMk3) and Nikon (D300 + D3) equipment. Different gear for different situations and subject matter.

Registered on July 25, 2005, 26 Posts, 110 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Lawrence on May 25, 2011 at 12:24 PM

A great image of a bird I have never been able to get anywhere near, come to think of it I haven't even heard one for a few years now.

Registered on February 13, 2008, 3 Posts, 163 Comments

Comment posted by Dawn Monrose on May 25, 2011 at 4:18 PM

Great shot, lovely to see a cuckoo in detail like this, nice comp too.

Registered on April 7, 2008, 6 Posts, 60 Comments

Comment posted by Barrie Courtenay on May 27, 2011 at 12:32 PM

Superb image,like every thing about it

Registered on July 11, 2005, 12 Posts, 98 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Litten on May 27, 2011 at 2:44 PM

A great image

Tricky bird to get a good shot of so bonus points to you!

Simon

Registered on June 22, 2006, 24 Posts, 275 Comments

Comment posted by David Kjaer on May 28, 2011 at 5:52 PM

A bit special Phil.

David

Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Haskell on May 29, 2011 at 4:38 PM

Nice clarity in this shot of a bird I would like to get...saw one last week being chased by a much smaller bird...but didnt get the chance to id the smaller bird. Overall nice composition and colour.

Ian

Registered on October 30, 2008, 24 Posts, 673 Comments