40-150 pro (Superb Fairy-wrens)

While I don't target Superb fairy-wrens too often anymore I can't help myself but take a few snaps when I see them. Sometimes it's best if you don't look for them as they are very common in Australia They are one of my favourite birds.
These captures came from my afternoon Rainbow bee-eater sessions I posted up before.
They are from a family of three adults with two males and a female and unknown amount of young ones and they have a nest in the thick bushy tree I photographed most of them at. I could just see the nest deep in the tree but I kept away from it to not disturb the young.
Another funny thing is the two males actually show more attention towards each other (they snuggle and try mating lol) than the female gets attention from them.
They were also very actively hunting insects for their young.
regards,
Vas

agree, superb shots!
congrats!
Jan

Hehe. I love shot four. Golf balls with feathers.

Beatiful bird and pictures, thanks for sharing!

For europeans, it's not very common, first time I see it Great!

A wonderful series. I really like the ones where they are dining and golfball with a head is also great.

Chuck

Great shots, as usual.

All lovely, Vass. Number 4 is also my favourite.

I never seem to be fast enough to catch these little birds. Ditto with the New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae ?sp.).

And you have produced some excellent pix here, noce and sharp and excellent compositions -- as usual!!!

I'm not in love with the OOF areas produced by this lens with extender though. In particular, the last pic -- I find the kind of linear bokeh distracting.

Smashing set Vas, as always.  Finally got the lens, really pleased, just need some time to get out with it

Fri13 wrote:

pede59 wrote:

How did you get so close? Do they consider you part of the family?

Some people have skills to get near

You should see his Fairy Wren costume.

Very slowly and patiently. They see me as a threat when I get too close.

pede59 wrote:

How did you get so close? Do they consider you part of the family?

Excellent pictures!

You will find each individual or groups vary in their tolerance for humans but one thing is for sure they don't sit still at all. If I got a dollar each I was just about to pull the trigger after locking focus and bird is gone id'e be rich lol

John King wrote:

All lovely, Vass. Number 4 is also my favourite.

I never seem to be fast enough to catch these little birds. Ditto with the New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae ?sp.).

Haha. That's my experience in close to 99.9% of shots .

It is my not too sneaking suspicion that if I were to try harder, I'd just end up in the spinal unit of a hospital somewhere! I'm not as fit and flexible as I was even about 20 years ago ... .

Keep up the good work, mate.

Thanks Geoffrey

I actually think it has awesome bokeh considering its focal length but everyone is entitled to their own opinion 
But one must remember that the above fairy wrens I shot are in the more wild environment and you only see them landing in heavy foilage so you only see them with your eyes in busy foliage naturally and that's what I try to capture and share. 
In less wild environments these type of shots below are good as they disguise the unnatural background. Even then I try not to have a 100% smooth background so I don't shoot wide open much with the lens

In the Park

In a Garden

What the lens can produce with Wide open shot

Hen3ry wrote:

And you have produced some excellent pix here, noce and sharp and excellent compositions -- as usual!!!

I'm not in love with the OOF areas produced by this lens with extender though. In particular, the last pic -- I find the kind of linear bokeh distracting.

Thanks mate. Congrats on getting the lens and hope you have many cracking sessions with it

klythawk wrote:

Smashing set Vas, as always. Finally got the lens, really pleased, just need some time to get out with it

Some great behavior shots there Vas and the other shots are also stunning. One day I'm coming over there to annoy you mate You are fast becoming one of my favorite bird shooters and the gear used doesn't come into it or the format. Fantastic shots and been going over your flickr site again, stunning work Vas.

I would love to see these little beauties and have a crack at them. They are gorgeous for sure. Such a diversity you have with birds and the colours of them in Aussie.

All the best Vas, again top shots and work. Loving it !!

Danny.

Teriffic series of images vass, you beat me to it. I had a session shooting these little buggers today, which I was going to post later.