Some birds from Belmont Wetlands - ID of bird also required

[radar]

Hi,

as some of you may have read some other recent posts of mine, I was at the recently announced Belmont Wetlands State Park, for a lack of a better name, on Sunday. I managed to take a few bird shots, first ones really, so hints, comments, and also ID of the birds in question, much appreciated.

All shots were done with D70s, 70-300mm ED, ISO 400, handheld late afternoon. Conditions were windy, one of the reason that I bumped up the ISO a bit. Other then cropping and sharpenning after the crop, not much else PP done.

Heron,
Shutter: 1/500 Aperture: 7.1 focal length: 190mm


Type of hawk - falcon???
Shutter: 1/1000 Aperture: 6.3 focal length: 200mm


Managed to get closer
Shutter: 1/500 Aperture: 10.0 focal length: 300mm


Also got a few pictures of finches and or wrens, but didn't quite come out, they are hard to photograph. As I think kipper said, I'll have to be very patient for those and learn their habits. Also were some black cockatoos in the distance, but couldn't get close enough, not to mention ducks, so plenty for next time

Comments appreciated,

Thanks,

Radar
aka André

[kipper]

Nankeen Kestrel

[radar]

that was quick , thanks kipper.

Cheers,

radar

[nat]

Hi Radar,
I like the third one. You have caught the colourings of the bird quite nicely, and from a good angle/perspective. Just curious to know if you tried to crop it to make it more of a portrait rather than landscape layout? I think it could work quite well with some of the excess sky and vegetation cropped out so that it doesn't distract your eye from the bird.
Cheers.

[Killakoala]

The last Kestrel pic is quite nice.

There is a small dust bunny next to his beak. I think your CCD might need cleaning, unless the kestrel caught it first.

[radar]

As suggested, here is a picture that is more cropped. Has the side benefit of getting rid of that dust bunny and now that I know its name...


(Click on image for full size image)

I'll get to use that air rocket now

thanks,

Radar

[Poon]

Hi Radar,

It is beautiful.

Looks like an old painting.

I like also Lake Macquarie.

Visited there few times.
Lucky you live there.

Here are two pictures from Lake Macquarie in this month.


<img src=http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/hk/hksupplies/aw14.jpg>
<img src=http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/hk/hksupplies/aw13.jpg>
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Regards
Poon

[stubbsy]

André

I really like the first one and especially like the pano style crop you've used. I think this really brings out this image. I do however think all of these shots could be a bit brighter from a tiny amount of contrast or curve adjustment.

Thanks for showing this spot to us. I look forward to visiting it soon.

[radar]

Hi Poon,

Lake Macquarie is a great spot, know exactly where you took your pictures. That blue house if very "distinctive".

Thanks for the comments Stubbsy. I have done a bit of playing with curves/contrast/brightness and it does improve. I just have to get in the habit of using the tools at my disposition in PP

Cheers,

Radar

[kipper]

Hey Radar, the first bird is a White-faced Heron, FYI.