As the crow flies

[huwnothugh]

I've been using the carrion crows in my local park as target practice in recent weeks. They are very acrobatic, a poor man's red kite in that respect, and I'm finding them to be quite a challenge. A bird with black feathers and a black eye is difficult for my OM-1 to focus on unless there is enough light to make the eye sparkle, but that can create its own problems with reflections off the glossy feathers. Exposure compensation is also tricky because the crows can be flying along the ground one second, and up in the air the next. Those are my excuses anyway. Despite this, I've perservered because their aerodynamic wing profiles can be very elegant. Here are some examples:








Constructive advice welcome.

[blackfox]

Super set ,living within sight of the sea I tend to use gulls for flight practise

[huwnothugh]

I keep practising Jeff, but I still can't get close to the number of keepers you showed us in your recent post about red kites.

[BDennis]

Good shots, you've done well to get some detail on these dark birds. I do find them tricky to get shots in bright sun, muted light seems better. Your #2 shot of one low over the grass with the wing tip almost touching the ground is my favourite.

[huwnothugh]

Thanks Bill; much of my progress is down to you. I still follow the advice you gave me when I joined the forum, and more recently your advice on exposure compensation too.

[BDennis]

Ah good to hear my random online musings on photography are helpful to someone here!

[MJ224]

Well caught...

[Mark2112]

Crash hot shots, Huw.

[davcoll]

Terrific set Huw, I have to admit Corvids are high in my favorite birds list.

Our cottage appears to be a magnet for quite a few Jackdaws even coming to the feeders.

Dave.

[huwnothugh]

Our jackaws seem drawn to our chimney pots where they perform their "tchack, tchack" calls. The sound is amplified by the chimney stacks; you'd swear they were inside the house.

[Gerry]

An excellent set of the Heavy Metal band among the song birds.

[huwnothugh]

". . . the Heavy Metal band among the song birds". That made me chuckle.