Bird on a Stick

[marlunn]

Ever had that day when you have the wrong lens on when the opportunity comes up ? of course you have, I wanted to do some bird shots and so had the 70-300 lens on expecting to have to go to the 300 end for any shots filling the frame - but this little fella wanted to be close up - this is full frame and I had to back off to get it to focus as he was too close ! A common bird but nice to get this close. They are wild but at this time of year in the Cosmeston Country Park they get fed at a few places so get to be a bit bold.
A Great Tit - Parus major

[Nicks Pics]

Nice shot. I like the detail and his yellow belly. In my area, our equivalent bird is the Black-capped Chickadee, which used to be called a tit, but it doesn't have a yellow belly. They come right up close. Even try to land on your head! Or do so. But they don't sit still very long and so are tough to catch! I imagine you had to shoot fast to get this one.

[marlunn]

Nick, yep - they dont stop moving all the time, lots of snatch shots to get a few sharp ones but it amused me to have to keep stepping back and reducing the zoom to fit him in

[RhondaH]

Beautiful capture Mark!

[Shadowman]

That happens to me all the time, I sometimes try to get by with one or two lenses and always need the one I left at home. Nicely captured.

[marlunn]

Thanks Rhonda, John, yep - decided to change to the macro 150 to do more close up shots and blow me the Jays came back to the feeding post but too far off for that lens, ah well its all good fun

[FrankMi]

Looks like you had exactly the right lens for this one! Great capture, sharp with appropriate Bokeh, Mark!

[marlunn]

Frank, in the end yep, you are right to get the OOF background and Bokeh it was good - but not expecting to have to back off to focus for birds would like to have had the time to try it with my 50mm to see if I could have filled the frame with that one !

[bnnrcn]

Very nice shot, cute and beautiful bird

[IzzieK]

Very nice shot, Mark...wrong lens or not. This one is good.

[marlunn]

Thank you Binnur, Izzie. Appreciated

[Benjy]

Nice shot Mark,is that some sort of tag on the birds leg?

[marlunn]

Thanks Bernard, yep - the British Trust for Ornithology train and license people to ring birds to gather statistical information on them - http://www.bto.org/about-bto, used to do this with my wife many years ago pre children , early mornings on various sites to put up mist nets at 3am to catch and ring, record and release them.

[Paniaa]

Fine detail, lovely colour. You did work fast!

[Barbara Ponder]

Great shot! Glad you clarified, for a second I thought you were saying you put one on your wife, lol. relieved to read the rest of the post

[IzzieK]

+-

Great shot! Glad you clarified, for a second I thought you were saying you put one on your wife, lol. relieved to read the rest of the post

Barb...my husband has one -- it is called a wedding ring. LOL

[Stagecoach]

Nice capture Mark.

[Ndukes]

That's a beautiful close-up shot Mark nicely finished.
We have many of these along with their cousins the Blue Tit, Coal Tit and, at this time of year, Long Tailed Tits around the bird feeders in our garden. Roughly four years ago a Great Tit was freaked probably by a Sparrow Hawk, and flew at speed into the concrete edge of our window, falling to the ground stunned and with a clearly injured wing. After cradling the bird for about 10 minutes until it revived, it flew off, tentatively at first. It did survive the ordeal as we monitored its presence frequently at the feeders, with left wing hanging, for the following two years.
To watch and photograph these amazing creatures is wonderful but to interact with them is a true privilege.

[marlunn]

Thank you Barbara, Izzie, funny that I have one on me from my lady as well I know who the boss is

Cheers Grahame, Neville, I managed to get a few of Blue Tits and a Marsh Tit as well on the day, that was one area of ringing we loved - holding the bird in the hand, if you are doing it right they are relaxed and you can really get a good look at them - its no surprise when you see them that close even the small 'brown' birds are really lovely, the Wren is a real jewel every feather is ticked with a darker brown spot its a bit of a 'faberge' bird really, then when you open your hand to let them fly away its a very special feeling.