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Thread: Pileated and baby

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    Default Pileated and baby

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    I have been very lucky to be given access to a pileated nest. My friend has built a little blind 18 feet up a tree that is about 14 feet away. The nest is in a very dark, canopied area of the woods so it is hard to get a high enough shutter speed and I won't go over ISO 1000 with the 7D-too much noise...
    So every minute that I am not working (a lot this week) or it isn't raining (a lot this month!) I am up a tree!!
    I like the little line of saliva between Mom and baby but let me know if you think it should go!
    Canon 7D
    f 2.8 70-200mm at 200mm
    ISO 1000
    ss 1/200
    aperture 2.8
    Comments and critiques always appreciated and learned from.

  2. #2
    Ofer Levy
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    Lovely behaviour shot taken in challenging conditions!

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    You have a great opportunity Gail!

    I agree with Ofer. I would also love this same opportunity someday

  4. #4
    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Gail:

    A remarkable opportunity to get so close, and at such a similar level as a pileated nest.
    Sharp, well exposed, great pose from the chick.

    I might try and tone down the brightest spot in the background at the top of the frame above mom's head.

    I would consider some judicious use of fill flash to give you a bit more flexibility under these difficult lighting conditions. I had the chance to shoot a pileated nest in my backyard several years ago, and they didn't seem bothered by the flash at all. I wasn't as close, so you would really want to keep the power down, but might be worth a try.

    Cheers

    Randy
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    A fine shot Gail, love the pileated behavior shots

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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    Very lovely and except as noted by Randy the BKGR is workable. A bit more adult head turn towards us would have been great. I am fine with the saliva though I can only see it clearly close to the adult.

    Have you considered some fill flash? Don't fall!
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    Lifetime Member gail bisson's Avatar
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    If you guys are absolutely, positively, 100% sure that fill flash won't disturb them, then I will use it at my next visit! Would -1 2/3 be appropriate?
    Gail

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    Avian Moderator Randy Stout's Avatar
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    Gail:

    No one can be certain that the flash won't bother them. Birds do seem to vary in their response to it. As noted, my nest seemed completely nonplussed by it, and I took many hundreds of shots.

    I would start at -3.00 or so, just enough to get a catchlight, see if they flinch. If they startle, don't use it. You are so close that you won't need a beamer probably.

    The birds health comes first, but I think you would be fine with judicious use of the flash.

    Cheers

    Randy
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    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
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    At the very worst one of the birds might react to the first flash. After that it is extremely unlikely that they would move a single muscle. I would first create a few images without turning the flash on. Why? Sometimes the birds might be scared by the sound of the first shutter release. If the flash is on, the flash gets blamed.....

    In my 28 years I have seen very few birds react at all to the use of flash.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Morris View Post
    At the very worst one of the birds might react to the first flash. After that it is extremely unlikely that they would move a single muscle. I would first create a few images without turning the flash on. Why? Sometimes the birds might be scared by the sound of the first shutter release. If the flash is on, the flash gets blamed.....

    In my 28 years I have seen very few birds react at all to the use of flash.
    I've been working on a visiting Pileated WP and a nesting pair of northern flickers this month, and neither species appears to react to the flash at all. I have my 1D Mk3 set on "S" shutter mode to minimize the clatter of the mirror/shutter. Small seed-eating birds, on the other hand go ballistic whenever the flash goes off, even at a distance where the shutter sound should not be a factor.

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