Rook

[Rich Steel]

Hi

By my work office we have some fields that are frequently visited by a large flock of rooks and jackdaws. They are very wary. So I decided to start a bit of feeding programme with some peanuts on one of the fence posts around the car park to see if I could get some in the right place to take some photos during my lunch hour (beats staring at a computer screen!). It has taken a long while but the birds are now coming in quickly after the nuts are placed, and so its just a question of parking the car in the right spot to use as a hide. The only draw back with the plan at the moment is I am stuck with the midday sun. I have tried after work when the sun has dropped low but they seem to disappear about an hour before its time to leave. Most people ignore these birds thinking of them as just a black crow but in fact I think they are very beautiful with their metallic blue and purple sheen in the sunlight.

The far wing might not be in the ideal position but its early days!



Taken with a 7D and 500mm at ISO400 at F4.5, -0.33 at 1/2000s

Cheers

Rich

[Harshad Barve]

lovely flying pose , compo , bg and exposure
TFS

[Tony Whitehead]

Good result for your efforts, Rich. I like the BG and pose revealing plumage detail. You've done well with the difficult light.

[David Fletcher]

Very good work plan Rich. Nice one. Good pose and details in this, showing off the colors well.

[Morkel Erasmus]

iridescence nicely shown here, and you handled the light well.
I like the pose and sharpness and would like to see what they offer you in the future :)
It's good seeing all the 7D images you guys are posting.

[Marina Scarr]

You planning and hard work paid off. Love the crop you chose here, the wing position and the awesome BG. You did a great job exposing the blacks, which are actually irredescent with that gorgeous light.

[Arthur Morris]

Black Corvids in the sun create quite a challenge and you have done very well here. Love the curled primaries. Wish only that the head were not merged with the far-wing. All in all well done. Try it on a cloudy day.

[Austin Thomas]

Hi Rich,

Glad to see you are getting some rewards. It won't be long before you get the image you are after and deserve.
It would be good to meet up next weekend if you are around.

Cheers

Austin

[Rich Steel]

Thanks for the comments. I'm not sure if taking some under cloudy skies will work too well as I am not sure if I will get the iridescence of the plumage showing. I will just have to try and persuade them to feed toward the end of the day!

Cheers

Rich

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for the comments. I'm not sure if taking some under cloudy skies will work too well as I am not sure if I will get the iridescence of the plumage showing. I will just have to try and persuade them to feed toward the end of the day! Cheers Rich

With digital it might behoove you to consider various white sky situations when photographing corvids. Please see the three images here. This one is a Fish Crow from Merritt Island NWR, FL

[Arthur Morris]

Common Raven on foggy morning, Nome, AK

[Arthur Morris]

Common Raven screaming SILH

[Stu Bowie]

Rich, I like the forward wing position, and the light certainly has brought out the irridescense on the wings. This is really sharp, and what a killer BG too.

Artie, you always seem to produce a winner from difficult conditions.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Stuart. I do love those white skies, esp. with black birds. When things are tough it is necessary to maintain a positive attitude and an open mind while exploring the possibilities. Somebody once said to me, "You could create a powerful natural history image in an empty mop closet." I didn't argue

[Rich Steel]

Interesting approach Artie and very effective. Thanks for posting those which definately give some food for thought. I love that Raven photograph. I am hoping to have a go at some ravens this winter as there is a huge roost 600 - 800 birds on the SW corner of the island of Anglesey, off North Wales. Its something I have meant to try for a while but not got round to yet

One of the reasons I have stayed in colour is that I have been trying to get the iridesence showing to try and get people away from thinking that they were just 'dull black birds' that don't merit a second glance. I have done some carrion crows on gravestones before in black and white that look quite eerie. I like to think and hope that is not something sinster like a fragment of bone held in the beak in the photo below!



You always have to have a positive attitute and open mind here in the UK as the weather is rubbish 95% of the time and the birds generally difficult to approach!

Cheers

Rich

[Axel Hildebrandt]

The purple iridescence, eye contact and BG look very good. I agree that beak/wing separation would have made it even stronger but like it as presented.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Awesome image Rich. Love the sheen and it's the sharpness and overall pose that really strike me. :) Well done. Also love the posts by Artie. IMO there is no such thing as a boring, common bird. See Stuart Bowie's pigeons? All birds make fabulous subjects and all light conditions work for me personally. :)

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Rich, Love the gravestone crow. With digital bad weather often = good photographs so you guys in the UK are lucky!

[Daniel Belasco]

My favorite wing position on birds. You have down a fine job here with the colors of the bird against a fine bg. Good sharpness also.
Keep at it and perhaps you can get one is less contrasty light.

[Rich Steel]

I agree there is no such thing as a 'boring bird' and have done quite a few feral pigeons, they make great practice for BIF photography. However, quite a few photographers tend to overlook the common which are just as beautiful when you take the time to stop and watch.

As for the UK weather I agree its good to have such variation and I will go out whatever the weather. In fact where I live is the only place in the UK where you can get a good chance of photographing Leach's Petrel which can come in during the autumn after high NW winds. When you are out photographing them the conditions are horrendous with 35 mph onshore winds and accompanying sea spray and flying sand. Its the times when we have extended periods of a persistent gloom of dark grey clouds and very little light which can be grim but you certainly appreciate it when it brightens up.

Cheers

Rich