27 January 2015

A Monday afternoon in Oshamanbe




We spent yesterday afternoon in Oshamanbe...............


It's the northernmost 'local' place we visit regularly, this was the first time in 2015.

There were 4 Long Tailed Ducks there...............



I think I'd have been better off with the bare 500, these pics weren't so sharp.



There were various other common ducks and gulls in the harbours including the inevitable Glaucous (#2) and Glaucous Winged (#1), two of my particular winter favourites................



On the way back this young Peregrine was by the side of the road.


Handholding 700mm out of the car window trying to get BIFs as it took off defeated me. I managed to fire off some perched shots but whenever it took off at least half of it was out of the frame.




12 comments:

  1. Some nice pics, Stu. Handholding 700mm with such a hefty lens would defeat me too. I'm trying to get use to going from full-frame to cropped sensor and keep chopping off wings just using a 400mm. I think I like like my bare 300 f4 because I like being a stop faster too. Regardless, your shots are pretty good. I've never seen a Long-tailed duck.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Russell. LT Ducks are not so common in south Hokkaido but there are plenty further east and north...................

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  2. Great set of shots - hand holding almost anything can be hard - I have a f4 400mm and putting on a tripod really does make a difference.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. Thanks Stewart, I may let my tripod take the strain next week.................

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  3. Great shots. I was away in South Donegal last weekend and we saw some Long tailed ducks although they were quite a distance away but we were delighted as they do not normally come here. Your shots are much better and I love the young Perigrine.

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    1. Hi Margaret, I've only seen them once or twice in the UK, always far out at sea..............

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  4. A Peregrine Falcon and a Long-tailed Duck - not a bad duo huh?

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    1. Not bad but a Gyrfalcon and Stellers Eider would have been even better...............if highly improbable.

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  5. Long-tailed Duck looks really exotic, and the gull shots are always instructive. We have very few records of any of these down here in HK.

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    1. Hi John yes it's a beautiful duck...................

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  6. Male long-tails are such stunners. As for 500 v 700, there's next to no difference in sharpness in my experience, though it's possible the higher pixel density of the 7DII is less forgiving. I'm sure your arms will get used to the weight :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, I guess at 700 handheld on a crop camera you have to be bang on the money.................

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