Hoopoe in habitat

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi everyone

just got back from amonth in Portugal

This Hoopoe was taken in Orique in the beautiful Alentejo region of Portugal where wild flowers carpet the landscape everywhere in the springtime

The shot has beeen cropped from the left.
I found these birds very hard to photograph as they love to frustrate you by hiding deep in the grass and flowers.
They were impossible to approach in the open. I thinK the shot shows just how lovely the wild flowers are, but I know some will prefer a clean shot.

i saw the bird hit the ground and managed to get quite close by hiding behing bushes as I move towards it!

Light noise reduction to BG using Topaz and then smart sharpen after resizing for web.

1/1600 Ev +1 ISO 400 100-400 @400 f 5.6 7D

[Tiago Caravana]

Hi Richard :)

I hope you had a nice time in my region (Alentejo in Portugal), I like to think that I live in a birdwatchers heaven :)

I know what you mean by the dificulty of approaching an Hoopoe. To photograph her the better approach is within a hide in a good spot.

Your photo is an "in habbitat" typical registry. The detail, exposure, and the eye are great. It's a shame that we can't see all the bird's body

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi Tiago

many thanks for saying hi; you do indeed live in a lovely part of the world.
I may buy a small house there one day soon :-)
here what you say about the body ; I had no choice but to try to capture that feel of the Alentejo flowers in this instance.
I saw many hoopoe but none close bar this one

btw Tiago I saw 2-4 Rollers!!! at the main IPN buiding past Casro Verde; a critically endangered species in Portugal - have you been there?

[Tiago Caravana]

Yes, I go there very often, it's a region with many interesting endangered species. I hope you've been well guided

[Daniel Cadieux]

I think Tiago hit the main points. BTW, good job in achieveing focus on the bird in what could have been difficult to do. Looks like a very pretty area for visiting and photography!

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi Daniel
always nice to receive your thoughts.
Yes indeed very nice area/country indeed

using back focus now and managed to hold tight on the hoopoes eye
not done well over the month though, very harsh light and birds mostly skittish and distant
did not make the coast this time sounable to get the beach bums