Yellow billed or alpine chough, and a rare outing for my camera equipment on a recent trip to Austria
Obtaining eye detail in these birds is very hit and miss, 90% of shots had no discernable eye detail visible, and I would welcome views on whether the dodging undertaken is too obvious.
Olympus e-3, 150mm f2 plus 1.4tc (424mm FOV), iso 100, 1/500 at F5.6, cropped for presentation.
Thanks all, I'm not sure if its a physiological adaptation to the high UV light levels found in the winter mountains, but the eyes are usually very dark and indistinct.
Phil, the eye is directly behind the bill in this shot angle.
This was taken in the Stubai(tal) valley on the main Mutterburg glacier whilst on a skiing holiday - circa 2,600m in height. This glacier complex is called the top of Tyrol due to the height of the top lift station at a height of just over 3,200m. Its due south of Innsbruck airport about 30 miles to the glacier lift station. Location wise the glacier is just just west of the main Austria /Italy Brennero pass but the valley is accessed from the northern Innsbruck end, But there are a few ski areas in the Stubaital valley closer to Innsbruck which will hold Alpine Chough (eg the Schlick 2000 complex at Fulpmes ).
In winter there are also a few Snowfinch around the restaurants (larger version of snow bunting...), but they are not easily photographed amongst the restaurant table legs........ and I saw a couple of chamois posing on a little knoll this year, sadly with no camera to hand - c'est la vie. It's relatively good marmot territory in the summer months, but like most high Alpine regions relatively hard work in Summer without feeding stations being established.
Discussion
7 repliesObtaining eye detail in these birds is very hit and miss, 90% of shots had no discernable eye detail visible, and I would welcome views on whether the dodging undertaken is too obvious.
Olympus e-3, 150mm f2 plus 1.4tc (424mm FOV), iso 100, 1/500 at F5.6, cropped for presentation.
It has to be one of the most difficult flight shots to make. Could it be the fact the eye is closed just at that split second?
Phil, the eye is directly behind the bill in this shot angle.
Oscar
Nick.
This was taken in the Stubai(tal) valley on the main Mutterburg glacier whilst on a skiing holiday - circa 2,600m in height. This glacier complex is called the top of Tyrol due to the height of the top lift station at a height of just over 3,200m. Its due south of Innsbruck airport about 30 miles to the glacier lift station. Location wise the glacier is just just west of the main Austria /Italy Brennero pass but the valley is accessed from the northern Innsbruck end, But there are a few ski areas in the Stubaital valley closer to Innsbruck which will hold Alpine Chough (eg the Schlick 2000 complex at Fulpmes ).
In winter there are also a few Snowfinch around the restaurants (larger version of snow bunting...), but they are not easily photographed amongst the restaurant table legs........ and I saw a couple of chamois posing on a little knoll this year, sadly with no camera to hand - c'est la vie. It's relatively good marmot territory in the summer months, but like most high Alpine regions relatively hard work in Summer without feeding stations being established.