Turdus merula (Blackbird)
Written by Thursday, 26 May 2005 00:00
“I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.” Joseph Addison
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Turdus merula (common name: Blackbird) These birds live very close to humans, and in our garden they are also daily guests. They don't bother about us when we're outside and they will only fly away with a lot of noise when we come too close. Anyway we like their presence, but up till now I hadn't photographed a single one. This changed today when I went out with my D70 and Tamron 180mm ready. One of the males sat down on the fence when I approached him but he moved to a wood frame which of course was an excellent location for me. Do I need to mention that I like the Tamron 180mm very much? Camera: Nikon D70 |
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Blackbird Taking a picture of a bird at large is far more difficult. Birds are always alert and ready to flee when they feel threatened, which includes sudden moves, the sound of the mirror or the light from a flash unit. Sometimes you just have the time for one shot. Once the flash fires the bird will usually fly away. This blackbird didn't. While always ready to fly it decided to stay there and see what was going on - birds are definite curious some times. Shooting Data: Camera: Nikon D2X |
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Turdus merula (Family: Turdidae; common name: Common blackbird) The Common blackbird (Turdus merula), also called Eurasian Blackbird, or (in areas where it is the only blackbird-like species) simply Blackbird is a species of true thrush which breeds in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. It has a number of subspecies across its large range; a few of the Asian subspecies are sometimes considered as full species. Depending on latitude, the Common Blackbird may be resident, partially migratory or fully migratory. The male of the nominate subspecies, which is found throughout most of Europe, is all black except for a yellow eye-ring and bill and has a wide range of vocalisations; the adult female and juvenile have mainly brown plumage. This species breeds in woods and gardens, building a neat, mud-lined, cup-shaped nest. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, earthworms, berries, and fruits. Both sexes are territorial on the breeding grounds, with distinctive threat displays, but are more gregarious during migration and in wintering areas. Pairs will stay in their territory throughout the year where the climate is sufficiently temperate. This common species has given rise to a number of literary and cultural references, frequently related to its melodious song. (1) Indeed, this is one of the few birds that you can hear but (usually) not see. Once you get to know its singing habits, you can tell where it is. When accustomed to humans (urban areas) it will sit anywhere which makes photography an easy task but yields nasty backgrounds. When you search for it in the woods, the bird is usually more suspicious and will not allow you to get closer than several meters. It becomes very active just before before sunset which is the best time to see it interacting with other birds of its own species. Unfortunately, light levels are low during this time and the fact this is a black bird makes things even more difficult. I have come to use fill in flash on all shots to make sure some detail is visible – especially around the eye area. I used my 80-400mm Nikkor lens for all shots, with the VR in the “off” position and the limiter “on”. Taking off any filters from this lens may improve its performance considerably. The limiter makes the lens hunt less, which, with the help of the better focusing system of the D300, the number of “keepers” increases dramatically. Photos by Marina Parha and George J. Reclos Camera: Nikon D300 1. Sensitivity: ISO 800 2. Sensitivity: ISO 800 3. Sensitivity: ISO 800 4. Sensitivity: ISO 800 5. Sensitivity: ISO 1000 6. Camera: Nikon D2X
(1) Wikipedia
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