Vintage Hawfinch & another

With the present interest in these birds I thought you may like to see this old one taken in the late seventies.In those days nest photography was OK !
The good thing was - no gardening was needed for this site -this is as it was exactly. The nest was 45 ft up in an Oak tree. Considering how nervous these birds are it was incredible - they were the tamest birds I have ever photographed. More to come taken on the lawn in front of the kitchen window.
Photographed ecktachrome 100 ASA slide.
Happy days.
JR

Now that's a top natural history photograph, great pose by both the adult birds and the chick asking for food is the icing on the cake. I take it you used a flash gun? I can see a slight colour change to the right of the image.


Great image of a cracking bird.

Tony

100 ASA John? That was very nearly high speed film in those days. Lovely shot, and congratulations on getting both of them at nest together.

David

HI John
Another really great shot from the archives.
a right little corker.

Hi John

Cracking image and a real pleasure to view!

David

Thanks all.
Yes it was flash and daylight but I'm blowed if I can remember the settings !
I found 5 nests that year.!
The slide has seen better days too as its been projected thousands if times at lectures over the years.
Cheers
JohnR

Very nice John.
Did you have electricity in those days ?
Mitch.

Simply a stunning image.

Those were the days`!!!!
Another cracker John!!!!!!!

Cheers

Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk

brilliant shot John, the setting and poses are great and then such beautiful burds too, the flash looks a tiny bit overcooked but not too bad, How on earth did you find 1 nest of these let alone 5???

Superb image John one of your best.

Fantastic picture John, how easy it all is nowadays but it sure wasn't then.

John

A real stunner John! A great NH image to be proud of!

Fran

A great shot by any standards

A wonderful shot John, amazing - and done on film too! Really impressive.

Thanks very much.
Another from the same session.
Jack
I was warden of the reserve at the time and it was part of a survey. They were quite easy to find when you located the pairs. Like some other finches they visit the nest in pairs which is quite a help. They often used Honeysuckle on small saplings.
Cheers
JohnR

Good stuff John. I think its all been said

Lee

Great shots - thanks for sharing.

Simon

Thanks again.
Just think, when I pop off these will go in a big bin with all my old socks and stuff and other rubbish, and no body will ever miss them ! So keep snapping !
Life is based on the past. the present does'nt exist, is gone before we are able to think about it, and the future is just desire and expectation.
( Me being morbid ! )
JR

Cracking shots, John.

Super... Ektachrome... late 70's, I remember them all

great NH images illustrating good behaviour....

I liked the first John but the second is even better to my eye.
Robert

Hello John.

I have just had my first time with one of these for all about 30 seconds and I am pleased with what I got. And them I saw these stunning images of yours.

First class and I hope I get another chance sometime
.
Thanks for posting love both of them .

The second shot is a masterpiece- one of the best nest shots I've ever seen- brilliantly composed with the branch on the left and the thinner branch framing from the top- and it is of such a rare and impressive species!

Fantastic shot John both of them.

John you submit some fantastic shots to this forum but in my humble opinion as an observer rather than a photographer this is the best yet. A fantastic pair of shots of a subject, as you say, quite rightly frowned upon these days-nest photgraphy.

Great stuff.
Brian

Thanks everyone. I really am surprised at the response.
I remember as a child looking at the Hosking pictures and fag cards etc and usually Hawfinch nests were in fruit trees. Funny how you get something in your mind and it sticks for ever.
I'd still like to find one in an apple tree though !
Thanks again.
JohnR

John i love your 2nd image you posted as there looks like there is a green cast on the 1st ?.

Very very nice image

Yes - there is Alan It isn't on mine on the PC so its the old problem coming up in up loading. It seems to be mainly on the lichen on the branch. A check on the whites otherwise come up OK on my old tack anyway. Having said that- I had a heck of a job photographing the slide which as I said has seen better days !
No point in posting it again though.
Cheers
JR

two excellent images John, that's some back catalogue you've got

Matt

Ah you don't see this kind of image any more which is a shame because the work involved is a great effort. Great shot.

Danny

Thanks all, for your interest
Appreciated.
Pity there's some that don't like it . Well one out of 30 !
Come on - what's it all about ? Look at to nights posts. Its nothing to do with quality etc it's - well work it out for your selves,
JR