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Yesterday in “Lunch Along the Kamo River”, I wrote that I wanted to visit the birds at the river with a longer lens, and indeed, today I spent awhile with my Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm zoom. The weather/lighting was quite different today, and this time I was on the other side of the river...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 65 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/9, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lunch Crowd
Two egrets and a heron at the Kamo River, Kyoto Japan
I focused on the large egret closest to me, who held this pose for the longest time...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 340 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/9, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Watching. Waiting. Motionless.
I had my monopod with me, but soon wished that I had my tripod. The birds didn't move, so I could have set the camera on the tripod and relaxed with the remote shutter release in hand. As it was, I tried the best I could to be comfortable holding the heavy lens and camera focused on the bird for long periods at a stretch, but you get the best stability from a monopod when everything is out of balance, so it was a challenge.
Eventually the bird started wandering around a bit aimlessly...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 380 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pardon Moi
while I scratch
... and then suddenly with purpose he stuck his neck way out as he marched quickly over to the waterfall...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
At Attention
... and then held a striking pose for a bit...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 290 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Like a Cobra at Defcon 1
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 95 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Seems to Have an Audience
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 210 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Piercing Strike!
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 210 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Houston, We Have Lunch”
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sashimi
doesn't get any more fresh than this
O
( crop from the photo above )
I was doing this with manual focus, and I feel happy with my manual-focus results for the first time in a long while.
And then “poof”, the fish was lunch...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 420 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Down the Hatch
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 420 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Gulp”
This is somewhat more work for lunch than the bird in “Lunch with a Great Blue Heron” had to do, but perhaps more satisfying.
Then a much smaller, more delicate egret flew in to try his (her?) hand at it...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 290 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/10, ISO 720 — map & image data — nearby photos
Smaller. Closer. More Classy.
is it even the same kind of bird as the first one?
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/9, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Waddyuz Lookin' At?
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 240 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/14, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Quick Strike!
apparently, faster than I am
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 240 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/14, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Empty Handed
( but not for long )
One second later, so fast I couldn't get the strike...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 240 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/14, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lunch
And equally fast, in a second or two it was down the egret's throat.
Then the egret did a pufferfish impression...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 380 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/16, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Puffy Egret Pose #1
“pufferfish”
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 380 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/16, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Puffy Egret Pose #2
“penguin”
I didn't think I had much prospect to top that, so I decided to call it a day.
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 50 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/14, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Parting Shot
Golden Late-Afternoon Sun
As I was leaving, I came across this couple having a cozy lunch, and thought the inviting, relaxing (and nicely photogenic) view would make for a nice ending to the bird lunch story...
Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Lunch
people style
It's always nice to visit the Kamo River area with a camera, as there are usually lots of people enjoying themselves. Of course, three months ago the water was several meters higher and flooding angrily, so less enjoyment then, but still nice to visit with the camera.
Great shots… would love a lens like that. Can really reach out and touch them. It’s a great location as well… lots of great water texture there.
how How HOW did you do that?!!!?
Even with the carpet-bomb approach to digital photography, I can only rarely get my own child’s eye in focus even when 6 feet away and bribed into absolute stillness by promise of an M&M. Not only did you get the fish’s eye in perfect (MANUAL!!!!) focus, you got the *expression* on the fish’s face.
Awesome series.
Nice sequence of photos.
You’re right, they are different types of birds. The first one (with the yellow beak) is a Great Egret. The second one is either a Little Egret or a Snowy Egret – they’re pretty difficult to tell apart.
The closeup in “O” is captivating; loved the composition with complete beak & sharp focus on the egret’s eye, along with inclusion of the fish eye mirroring egret’s.
That Sashimi/O shot is fantastic! You can definitely be proud of that.
You can almost see the victory in the eyes of the egret and the despair in the fish’s… 🙂
The birds were pretty casual about it all… lunch was lunch was lunch…. same thing day in and day out, i’m sure. Certainly quite different for the fish, for which it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event. —Jeffrey
Great photographs, mate! Thank you for sharing