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Bittern in flight!

Discussion

12 replies
Posted by Oscar Dewhurst on February 17, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Bittern in flight!
Thanks for the comments on my last image.

This was taken yesterday afternoon at the usual place. Someone had told me that the day before a Bittern had flown right in front of one of the hides and then sat there for about an hour before disappearing into the reeds, so I thought I would see if it did it again (I thought it was unlikely!). I was watching another Bittern through my viewfinder which was about 70m away, and suddenly it put its head up and looked very alert. Two seconds later another flew across my viewfinder, and then flew right in front of me and landed in the reeds. Over the next two hours, it gradually moved round through the reeds, and ended up no more than 20 feet away! I couldn't believe it! :jump: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Techs:
Nikon D300s
Nikon 200-400mm f4
Handheld from hide
F5.6
1/400s
ISO 500

Thanks for looking

Oscar :wavey:
Posted by Nick Mckeown on February 17, 2012 at 4:32 PM
Great image Oscar but looks a little soft on the larger image. You mention hand held with the beast (used to have the mighty 200-400) so could be a bit of camera shake. Have you any more in a sequence? Certainly been a great winter for bittern shots!

Nick. :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Dawn Monrose on February 17, 2012 at 4:53 PM
Wow! What a great sight! Great pose and complimentary background. I never realised how big their feet were! Teeny bit soft, but darn good considering the light. A cracking shot!

:toast:
Posted by Rene de Heer on February 17, 2012 at 5:12 PM
Very nice and very rare. Well done but it is a bit soft.
Rene de Heer
Posted by Matt Cole on February 17, 2012 at 5:19 PM
a great experience Oscar and you did well to capture it as well as you did by the sounds of it. It does look a little soft which is a shame, but I'm sure you got plenty of others as it moved through the reeds.

Matt :toast:
Posted by Ian Macdermott on February 17, 2012 at 5:23 PM
Good work in getting it in flight Oscar :toast:

As mentioned it is a little soft but it's 100% better than any Bittern shot I have not got . :jump:
Posted by John Robinson on February 17, 2012 at 6:29 PM
Good one Oscar.
Easily sharpened a bit.
JR
Posted by Barry Southon on February 18, 2012 at 12:16 AM
Oscar

Right place right time and a very good effort.
:wink:
Posted by Bob Johnson on February 18, 2012 at 2:57 AM
You have got a smasher there Oscar and I wish I had it in my lecture folder, and as John says I am sure you could enhance it further with a little more work :wink:

Sounds like you had a cracking day:cool:

Bob :wink:
Posted by Andy Shepherd on February 18, 2012 at 4:49 AM

Must have been a great experience, Oscar. Slight nit re the sharpness covered but no big deal. Smart shot of a difficult species to photograph.

Andy... :smile:
Posted by Paul Whippey on February 18, 2012 at 1:02 PM
Very well caught Oscar. Nits already covered, a very nice photo.

:toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Robert Lawrence on February 18, 2012 at 3:28 PM
Nits covered Oscar but well caught.
Posted by Craig Jones on February 19, 2012 at 6:59 AM
Brilliant image, love the colours and back ground showing where these birds live. Take the iso to 800 and use F8 for birds in flight Oscar its the best "F" number to use. :wink: :wink: :wavey: