It is the largest of the Accipiter genus; it possesses short and wide wings and a long tail well adapted to flight in the woods. The female is larger measuring between 58 and 64 cms with a wingspan of 108 to 127 cms; She is slaty-blue on the back with greyish underparts and can weigh […]
Tag: Northern Goshawk
My Favorite Bird Photos of 2014
At the end of each year I like to go back and look at the bird photographs I have taken and choose the ones I like the best for a “favorite bird photo” post. I try to pick at least one photograph from each month however some months were photographically prolific, others not so much. […]
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald – review
The arcane world of falconry is infamous for a snobbery that dates back to the medieval period, when different raptors were pegged to a hierarchical list of feudal stations. So the noble peregrine was for princes, the dainty merlin was milady’s bird, and – as we know from Barry Hines’s novel – it was just […]
Japanese Reed Bunting | Emberiza yessoensis
Yesterday I visited the Aso-Kuju area in central Kyushu. Specifically I wanted to see Japanese Reed Bunting (aka Ochre-rumped Bunting), but also other summer birds of higher altitudes. Although this was the middle of rainy season, the forecast seemed promising so I arrived at dawn. Soon after starting off a trail famous for having my […]
Isahaya Reclaimed Land Areas
This morning I spent a bit of time at Oe before stopping in at Chuo and Moriyama reclaimed land areas. Highlights included Japanese Weasel, Whiskered Tern, Northern Goshawk, White-naped Crane, and Hooded Crane. A Japanese Weasel surveys the reeds for prey as it is silhouetted by the early morning sunlight.
Afternoon at Oe
Yesterday I spent the afternoon at Oe wetlands, putting the new 1D X through some paces and testing out the different metering and AF options. I tried the spot AF linked to AF point setting, but this didn’t work out too well so I reverted back to the default metering setting and just dialed in […]
Canon EOS 1D X – First Impressions
Well, today I picked up my new Canon EOS 1D X – my first full-frame DSLR! To be honest, this was a big leap in faith. I had been satisfied with my 7D, but I often found myself in low-light situations wishing to capture high-speed action. I thought the 300/2.8L IS II USM would give […]
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Today I received my new Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens together with Canon 2x TC MkIII and Canon 52mm C-PL Drop-in Filter. At the beginning of the year, I was interested in the new Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, but trips to Australia in June, July and August convinced me […]