Posted by Kev Bullock on March 15, 2009 at 7:12 AM
Still enjoying regular visits from both the Lessers and Mealys, I'm both delighted and surprised they've hung around this long.
Annoyingly still haven't got the shot I want of a male Mealy, and now one of the Lesser males has hit breeding plummage, hopefully they'll hang around and give me some more chances.
Anyway I've put in place a change of perch and backdrop to give something different, was reasonably successful got quite a few keepers, here's one of them...
1DMkII, EF300f2.8LIS
1/200 f7.1 ISO400
Usual PP from RAW using C1Pro, resize, sig and dust spot removal in PSCS2
Perch is a little too staged, I know this sort of perch does occur naturally in such exposed positions, but it does shout “at feeder”, which I know you have stated, but it is always a good idea to select a more ”natural” prop. Research the species, where does it prefer to be and why, the beak says seed eater, so ask yourself why is it on such an exposed perch, where the local Sparrowhawk can pick it off.
There are some great sprouting “twigs/perches” out there at the moment.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t bother to write the above, if I didn’t think you were 95% there.
The Redpoll itself is absolutely cracking, just get out there an experiment with those perches. Contact me if you have a tenner to spare, and want a very versatile perch support.
Nice shot! Perch seems fine to me. I've only had one session with these and they flitted around from dead nettles to small trees with lichen covered twigs, so seems natural enough.
Posted by Kev Bullock on March 15, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Cheers for the feedback Ray, I do find it difficult to naturally set these up to the point where I rarely do so. I tried a teasel head but no takers on that.
Although not Alder, Conifer or Birch, I've naturally seen them in my garden in Buddleia, Apple trees, Lilac and a couple of unidentified trees/shrubs (one of which the new perch is a cutting from) and on the lawn, ground feeding - all I accept due to the presence of the feeders, but having stepped in with the feeders (rarely used for photography btw) we are already into un-natural territory. Outside the garden I've only ever seen them on Alder - high up, hanging upside down - looks like Ray's set me a challenge
Interested to know more about your versatile perch support.
Also interesting to read Ian's feed back, I have seen them eating the lichen from both the new perch and the apple tree where the feeders reside wasn't sure that's what they were doing but I think it was.
Kev
Posted by eric weight on March 15, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Nice shot Kevin. I have never had so many redpolls in my garden as I have had this year, must be a glut. You could just whip an alder branch off with some nice cones and catkins on it and use that for a natural perch while they are still around although I don't find this one at all upsetting. Teasel heads work well if you sprinkle niger seeds over them, although I have never seen redpolls on them, goldfinches feed on them all the time as I am sure you know. Eric
For once I’ve returned to a thread, mainly because I did pose a question re perch support and to see if anything had changed, as I have been briefly in hospital, followed up with a five day battle with a throat infection, my wife seems to have got it now, so I’ll have some peace and quiet, just a lot of hand signals/signs.
Re the camera support, you already have at least one facsimile of it, but I’ll e-mail you as I don’t want to highjack your thread.
Re the perch. A Redpoll is a prey species, therefore it wouldn’t perch up in the open by choice. The exception would be in the breeding season, when prey species frequently use a “song” posts, to declare that a territory is occupied, and to attract a mate.
One last thing, when selecting a perch, take note of its location and its orientation, it’s a relatively frequent mistake to over look this. For example, a ground loving lichen growing on a fallen decaying branch etc. being presented as a song post.
Posted by Kev Bullock on March 15, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Cheers Ray, email replied to...
I don't feel this as thread hijacking - this is all new territory for me and I'm happy to learn and improve.
Only learnt of using perches by browsing these forums, and this is only my second ever time of shooting with "placed" perches.
Enjoy your peace and quiet and I hope you both fully recover soon.
Kev
Posted by Lewis Thomson on March 16, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Hi Kev,
Great image, lovely bird. The perch doesn't worry me at all.
I have often seen redpolls using similar naturally occurring perches just before dropping down to drink at woodland pools, they also do occasionally feed on the floor "in the wild". Most woodland birds rely on each other to spot danger, rather than worrying about perching in the open, these birds can become very relaxed when there are other look outs around.
Lewis.
Posted by Magnus Hird on March 16, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Discussion
12 repliesAnnoyingly still haven't got the shot I want of a male Mealy, and now one of the Lesser males has hit breeding plummage, hopefully they'll hang around and give me some more chances.
Anyway I've put in place a change of perch and backdrop to give something different, was reasonably successful got quite a few keepers, here's one of them...
1DMkII, EF300f2.8LIS
1/200 f7.1 ISO400
Usual PP from RAW using C1Pro, resize, sig and dust spot removal in PSCS2
Cheers
Kev
Perch is a little too staged, I know this sort of perch does occur naturally in such exposed positions, but it does shout “at feeder”, which I know you have stated, but it is always a good idea to select a more ”natural” prop. Research the species, where does it prefer to be and why, the beak says seed eater, so ask yourself why is it on such an exposed perch, where the local Sparrowhawk can pick it off.
There are some great sprouting “twigs/perches” out there at the moment.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t bother to write the above, if I didn’t think you were 95% there.
The Redpoll itself is absolutely cracking, just get out there an experiment with those perches. Contact me if you have a tenner to spare, and want a very versatile perch support.
Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk
Although not Alder, Conifer or Birch, I've naturally seen them in my garden in Buddleia, Apple trees, Lilac and a couple of unidentified trees/shrubs (one of which the new perch is a cutting from) and on the lawn, ground feeding - all I accept due to the presence of the feeders, but having stepped in with the feeders (rarely used for photography btw) we are already into un-natural territory. Outside the garden I've only ever seen them on Alder - high up, hanging upside down - looks like Ray's set me a challenge
Interested to know more about your versatile perch support.
Also interesting to read Ian's feed back, I have seen them eating the lichen from both the new perch and the apple tree where the feeders reside wasn't sure that's what they were doing but I think it was.
Kev
Mark.G
This is a gem of a bird very well taken.
Re the camera support, you already have at least one facsimile of it, but I’ll e-mail you as I don’t want to highjack your thread.
Re the perch. A Redpoll is a prey species, therefore it wouldn’t perch up in the open by choice. The exception would be in the breeding season, when prey species frequently use a “song” posts, to declare that a territory is occupied, and to attract a mate.
One last thing, when selecting a perch, take note of its location and its orientation, it’s a relatively frequent mistake to over look this. For example, a ground loving lichen growing on a fallen decaying branch etc. being presented as a song post.
E-mail sent.
I don't feel this as thread hijacking - this is all new territory for me and I'm happy to learn and improve.
Only learnt of using perches by browsing these forums, and this is only my second ever time of shooting with "placed" perches.
Enjoy your peace and quiet and I hope you both fully recover soon.
Kev
Hi Kev,
Great image, lovely bird. The perch doesn't worry me at all.
I have often seen redpolls using similar naturally occurring perches just before dropping down to drink at woodland pools, they also do occasionally feed on the floor "in the wild". Most woodland birds rely on each other to spot danger, rather than worrying about perching in the open, these birds can become very relaxed when there are other look outs around.
Lewis.