Great Grey Shrike

Having spent four freezing hours in a hide that I set before daylight this morning I eventualy gave up. Walking back to the car I spotted my prey and waited in what I hoped would be the right spot. I guess I got lucky.

I shall be high on this one for a week or two.

This is a very heavy crop taken on a 5D 500mm +1.4tc ISO200

Hi Paul,

Lovely image of one of my favourite birds , super detail for a large crop , that 5D must have a superb sensor , if it were mine I'd lose the twigs along the bottom of the image , this will tidy up what is already a cracking capture.


Regards

Andy...

Great capture of a superb bird - I can quite see why you're so chuffed with this one!

Simon

Thanks for the comments Andy. The 5D is a superb camera but it is not ideal for bird photography as the auto focusing is just not quick enough for moving subjects. It is my first choice for landscapes.

I think you're right about the branches but I've already cleared away a lot of dead wood.

Was hoping to be using the 1D3 after it's repair but it's stuck in a UPS van somewhere and should be with me tomorrow.

Thanks Simon. I managed a dozen shots but this is the one. It's got the catch light in the eye and without it it just doesn't work

For some reason the 5D kept locking up after a few shots. This has never happened before and the only way to reactivate was to remove the battery. Very strange. Has anyone out there had similar experience.

Superb capture,
Frederic

Would never guess it was such a big crop, as their is so much detail visible. Lovely shot!

You said: "For some reason the 5D kept locking up after a few shots. This has never happened before and the only way to reactivate was to remove the battery. Very strange. Has anyone out there had similar experience."

I`ve had the same problem for the last few weeks with my 20D; a damn nuisance that has cost me quite a few shots. Not worth getting this older camera repaired, so I have ordered a 40D as replacement (although, as Sod`s Law would have it, 20D has now corrected itself and is working fine - perhaps your 5D might do the same.)

I've never even seen one of these! Great shot, the crop has held up really well

A very special capture - well done and well deserved after your long, cold wait. Agree about the 5D - you can really crop away and the results hold up amazingly.
I keep getting a similar problem on my 20D but switching it off and back on again is all I have needed to do

Re the locking up problem. I've been advised that I need to check the terminals on the lens are clean. What happens when you remove the batteries and replace is that the camera reboots. I'll let you know if this does not work.

Well you cracked it Paul. Not in the way you intended but you got there.

Major.

Cracking image Paul

Great capture Paul.
John
Aberdeen

Well done Paul, a nice image and a bird I have never seen. Well done.

Hello Paul a cracking shot. I've not seen one of these before thanks for posting.

Cracking image of a bird i haven't yet got in my viewfinder.

If it was freezing btw the locking up may of been caused by the battery getting too cold, i had this when shooting my D60 at -6c. I learned to keep a battery in my inner breast pocket.