Still can't travel down there so I'll have to resort to posting images from last visit to New Zealand. We visited the gannet colony in Muriwai just a few km from Aukland. I was amazed at the access to the colony and more amazed at the number of birds. I was able to spend several hours on two different days. At first it seems like utter chaos with so many birds aloft and passing by in multiple directions at once. But after a while you can pick up on their flight patterns and begin to predict the movements so you can set up BGs, catch birds in various stages of flight, etc. There were several nests within easy range for portraiture of grounded birds with a cropped sensor body and 400mm (zoom)lens. At one point the wind patterns were such that the birds would soar by on the currents within just a few meters of where I was standing allowing in flight close ups. It was a good time.
1) BG in shadow
2) Surf for BG
3) Cliff face for BG
4) Distant sea surface for BG
5) Mating ritual
6) Feather detail
7) Big blue eyes
8) And big feet
9) 120mm EFL
10) They seemed curious as they passed so close
11)
12) Could have stood there till the battery ran out
YEG-Photog wrote:
Nice set of gannet images. I also spend hours watching when I have the opportunity to be at a colony.
It's not a bad way to spend a day. It only takes half an hour or so to reach olfactory overload and then the smell isn't so bad
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apollos wrote:
The photos are all beautiful!
Thank for commenting. Glad you enjoyed them.
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morris wrote:
3,4, 5, 7 and 12 are my favorites from this well excecated set Dan
sum1sgrampa wrote:
Great shots of a beautiful bird we don't see too often.
Gary
Thanks, Gary. They really are beautiful. We spend most winters on the Carolina coast and see northern gannets fishing now and then. Not nearly as colorful without the breeding plumage. Also see quite a few juvies. But it is cool to see them diving on a school of mullet.
Exceptional whites and detail in those areas, very nice looking images. Wow they come in close Thanks for sharing these, really a beautiful bird to view and appreciate.
Karl Witt wrote:
Exceptional whites and detail in those areas, very nice looking images. Wow they come in close Thanks for sharing these, really a beautiful bird to view and appreciate.
Karl
Thanks for commenting, Karl. One of the more fun places that I've shot BIF. There are just so many different opportunities through the course of a few hours. Yes they flew really close in a couple of spots.
My oh my !!! Such stunning shots of a truly stunning bird that most don’t see. Those eyes like a finely painted mask The color and coloration around them are mesmerizing. How could one possibly forget when they looked at you.
Thanks for sharing these, really a beautiful bird to view and appreciate.