Came across a flock of these earlier in the week on the way home, taken in midday Winter sunshine. Had to sneak onto private property to get any shots though ....shhhhhhh don't tell anyone.
Got to rattle off several pictures, but none too close to the ground as is usually the case. These birds love to feed off the native pines as welol as introduced plantation trees...as is the case with this lot. Several images to pick from, some out in the open on branches, some like this one partially hidden, which I personally prefer to see.
Canon 7D + 500 f4 = 1.4 x TC....700mm, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 640, Manual Exposure.......hand held......crop for composition, selective sharpen and noise reduction.
I like the exposure, feeding activity, composition. Being able to see the tip of the tail clearly allows this to work , with part of the body blocked by needles.
Excellent image, particularly due to the feeding behavior, being right on the light angle, light soft enough that the shadows are not overly blocked up, sharp details and flat out cool looking bird. I dig the eye ring. Good use of focal length to cut down on the shooting angle.
Hi Phil, I like the line of the pine needle perch coming into the frame, and how you have framed the head between the opening of the needles. Good feeding behaviour captured.
Generally speaking I prefer clean shots but the needles are not as bad as broad leaves.
I like the composition and the nice clean head of the bird, Phil.