Just for Fun - Pigeon Guillemots - Almost shots

[Brownbear]

These little birds are Pigeon Guillemots, currently in their breeding colours (red and black). They are exceptionally playful and fast flying. These are almost shots as the images are crooked (photographed that way while panning) and the focus just a bit off.

Sharing these simply for fun, as photographed in sequence.... I'm truly not sure if the birds were diving for fish or simply playing. I suspect they were just having fun chasing each other.

Shot 1



Shot 2




Enjoy!

[Barbara Ponder]

I LOVE shots like this! They tell a story!

[NorthernFocus]

Christina, these are awesome. In multiple ways. First of all, the content is really cool. Secondly, I'm in awe at your techs on these guys that last year you struggled so mightily with to get your exposures right. I wish I'd learned as fast as you have. Kudos

[Rita]

Christina, a delightful couple of shots. You have captured the antics well.

[GBO25]

In a word, Fabulous.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Christina . I loved the awkward looking bird in #1. Just lovely.

For #2, I have a crop suggestion. If you crop all the splash on the left by leaving the bird and its reflection only and then if you rotate the image 90 degrees anticlockwise, IMO you might get an interesting and a kind of artistic image.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

+1 to Dan's comments.

We now have bird acrobatics to amuse us, great shots!

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Thank you Barbara, Dan, Rita, Binnur, Graham & Grahame!

Dan, I'd be thrilled with the first image if it wasn't crooked and if the water splash/reflection was more in focus. Anyhow, I am managing to capture some nice images of these adorable little birds in flight and flapping their wings on water. In this case the faster focusing of my D7100 vs the D90 along with my 300 lens truly makes a difference. I have all Spring to try for another just like the first image.

Binnur... I agree that your crop suggestion would make a wonderful image but it is just too much of a crop because the bird is so small in the frame, and the eye on the bird is not as sharp as it should be. I've already cropped from the bottom on this image. But I will try for another just like it.

Grahame... These little birds are truly acrobats. Did you note the little red feet just seen in the water splash in the 1st image, followed by a glimpse of more of its feet and tail feathers in the 2nd shot?

[Shadowman]

Nice series, they do look like fun.

[JohnRostron]

I've seen Black Guillemots (the European equivalents of your birds) in Scotland, but I have never seen them perform like these. These are wonderful shots!

John

[Nicks Pics]

Really fun! Looks like a crash land! Well photographed

[Rebel]

Awesome shots Christina!

[joebranko]

Awesome shot! Great colour and wonderful splash!

[marlunn]

great shots - what fab little birds - love them lots

[Brownbear]

Thank you to all for your comments. Truly appreciated and it is nice to know that they were enjoyed. For sure I will be sharing more later this year.

Nick... Crash landing is an apt description but they do it with style. This is one bird I wish I had a longer lens for. The good thing about these birds is that when they take off as a pair they always circle back and land somewhere near the original take off spot.

John Shadowman... They truly are acrobatic little birds and a lot of fun to watch.

John Rolston... They are grey and white when juveniles and also I think before the come into their breeding colours... I've read both in my research and still not sure which is which, or if both are true.

[John 2]

Nothing wrong with these Christina. They're full of interest and spot on in terms of quality. Lovely shots.

[Brownbear]

Nothing wrong with these Christina. They're full of interest and spot on in terms of quality. Lovely shots.

Thank you John. Truly appreciated.