Posted by Andy Astbury on April 29, 2008 at 3:53 AM
Last one I'll post from the other day - don't want you getting bored
The previous post (thanks for all the feedback btw ) got complaints about 'lack of eye contact' on both the US NPN and the BPN forums - when a bird is doing something with its beak below its own eye level it's kind of hard to get 'eye contact' - but obviously our US cousins don't see it that way
Does anyone know the gestation period - I'm working on a basis of 28 days from laying the last egg which I'm guessing was early last week, perhaps 7 to 10 days ago.
The 3 nests on the lake are all in different situations, this one is only lit by the sun from mid morning to mid afternoon, another has no sunlight at all, and the last is lit all day but the water is too deep for the hide to be used - so the 'money shot' is on shaky ground
Enough rambling.......
Techs as usual
D300
Sig 300-800 @ 700mm
ISO 400
1/320th @ f9
Bibble Pro + CS3
Thanks for looking
Posted by Paul Inglis on April 29, 2008 at 5:04 AM
Hi Andy,
Differences in photographic styles! I love the colours, textures and detail in the subject - it's simply awesome! Also great pose, it looks like she's tending to the eggs! Great environmential image!
Posted by John Chapman on April 29, 2008 at 5:05 AM
Hi Andy the bird is terrific and the lighting is good. Just a pity about the branches which is out of your control.
John
Posted by John Robinson on April 29, 2008 at 5:12 AM
Yes great shot and a pity about the branches. It will be worse when the leaves burst too..
Hope on of the others is better.
Incubation about 28 days give or take a bit.Seems a long time when you're waiting, but of course the young are off pretty quick when they do hatch.
Cheers
John
Posted by Paul Thomas on April 29, 2008 at 7:40 AM
I think I prefer this one to the last one you posted. Great shot.
Paul
Posted by Dave Bartlett on April 29, 2008 at 7:45 AM
Great shot Andy and I love the detail. Eye contact is an interesting one; personally, I like it for pure portrait shots, but for this sort of image when the subject is actually doing something, it doesn't matter for me.
Time to get yourself an anglers float tube (or belly boat to our US folks) and get out in the deep water .. but then maybe not !!
Dave
Posted by Paula Graham on April 29, 2008 at 8:50 AM
I like this one better than the last one too. I do hope for you that you get your goal of hatching chicks.
Well you are ahead of us-they are just starting the nest building stage-another week or 2 before i can get these shots-lots of nice detail,good light and nice habitat shot-has it all really-well maybe chicks and i look forward to those
We have had chicks for quite a while at one of our local reserves....
Nice shot just a shame about those branches, but, not a lot you can do about them.
Posted by Mark sellings on April 29, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Lovely behavioural shot - I spent a nice time with nesting grebes last year - always a privilege to watch them at close range as they are such elegant birds...
A very nice iamge Andy. Stick at it as I'm dying to see those chicks on their backs
Posted by Barry Southon on April 30, 2008 at 4:41 AM
Andy
A great shot branches en all I'm out of kilter with most on this one the way I see it is, if this is the location and whatever is there makes for a true record. Just MHO.
I have sympathy with Barry's PoV - it lives where it lives, but if I had taken it I just know that those branches would be bugging me too; especially as the image is so good otherwise. Those water droplets are brilliant.
I'll be switching my attention to another nest I think - I spotted it from the boat the other day but I'm a bit unsure as yet - will be recky-ing it this weekend for water depth etc.
Discussion
15 repliesThe previous post (thanks for all the feedback btw
Does anyone know the gestation period - I'm working on a basis of 28 days from laying the last egg which I'm guessing was early last week, perhaps 7 to 10 days ago.
The 3 nests on the lake are all in different situations, this one is only lit by the sun from mid morning to mid afternoon, another has no sunlight at all, and the last is lit all day but the water is too deep for the hide to be used - so the 'money shot' is on shaky ground
Enough rambling.......
Techs as usual
D300
Sig 300-800 @ 700mm
ISO 400
1/320th @ f9
Bibble Pro + CS3
Thanks for looking
Differences in photographic styles!
John
Hope on of the others is better.
Incubation about 28 days give or take a bit.Seems a long time when you're waiting, but of course the young are off pretty quick when they do hatch.
Cheers
John
Paul
Time to get yourself an anglers float tube (or belly boat to our US folks) and get out in the deep water
Dave
Dave
Nice shot just a shame about those branches, but, not a lot you can do about them.
Mark
regards
Kevin
Sorry to miss the chick images if they arrive over the next month
Steve
A very nice iamge Andy. Stick at it as I'm dying to see those chicks on their backs
A great shot branches en all I'm out of kilter with most on this one the way I see it is, if this is the location and whatever is there makes for a true record. Just MHO.
Barry
Eastbourne / Kansas
I'll be switching my attention to another nest I think - I spotted it from the boat the other day but I'm a bit unsure as yet - will be recky-ing it this weekend for water depth etc.
Cheers for the feedback folks one and all