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Robin Saves the Day!

Dave Spencer

Member
Joined
3 Jul 2007
Messages
1,387
Location
N. Wales
I went to Chester Zoo last Friday, only for the day to be a bit of a wash out. Most of the more exotic residents decided to wimp out and stay in the warm, but just as the day was about to become an unmitigated disaster, good old Blighty provided the star of the show.

It is easy to forget how beautiful our own wildlife can be. :D

Robin.jpg


Robin2.jpg


Dave.
 
As you know Dave, I have first hand experiance of the zoo, 7 years. So i know how confidant these Robins are. I loved to watch them as I headed round the zoo in the tractor dishing out the fresh cut grass to the Rhinos, Eles, Girrafes etc. The Robins would come bounding over picking of the grubs and flys. You cant help but love them. Aww, I miss the widlife.

Nice pictures Dave, really nice...warming even.
 
Dave Spencer said:
I went to Chester Zoo last Friday, only for the day to be a bit of a wash out. Most of the more exotic residents decided to wimp out and stay in the warm, but just as the day was about to become an unmitigated disaster, good old Blighty provided the star of the show.

It is easy to forget how beautiful our own wildlife can be. :D

Robin.jpg


Robin2.jpg


Dave.

Wonderful shots, what type of lens/camera was this?
 
oldwhitewood said:
Wonderful shots, what type of lens/camera was this?

Hi Neil,

These pics were taken on a Nikon D700 with a Nikkor 70-200mm lens. I still had to crop the pictures a fair bit.

Dave.
 
A picture of all those bats would have been something else, Sam.

Spending your hard earned a mega camera George? :D For me the biggest difference is when I use the 14-24mm lens. The amount you can fit in to the view finder is amazing. You will see what I mean at TGM when you will be amazed at how close you will be able to stand to the 10 foot altum tank and still fit it all in.

The level of detailing on a full frame sensor is pretty good, too. Those Robin pics required a large crop, yet there is still some detail in the feathers, although a little soft.

I am sure the Canon will have a low light performance similar to the Nikon. Get a 50mm f1.4 and you will be amazed at what you can get away with hand held and without flash.

With a camera like the one you are getting, George, it would be well worth getting the lenses to back it up. Especially when it comes to wide angle. Unfortunately, the lenses rival the camera in price. :(

Dave.
 
Dave Spencer said:
.... Especially when it comes to wide angle. Unfortunately, the lenses rival the camera in price. :(
Yeah, tell me about it. 14mm L-series - £1500...

My next 'holiday' to the desert will help pay for it. In the mean time I'll make do with my 10D and the new 11-14mm f2.8 Tokina that's very highly rated, and a snip at £400!

Cheers mate. Look forward to seeing you soon.
 
Themuleous said:
Dave,

Its not great quality due to the camera and low light and its not the swarm at its best, but hopefully gives you an idea of what it was like.



The clicks are the bat echolocation calls using a heterodyne bat detector.

Sam


When I worked at the zoo, we would do bat walks around the grounds at night. We would use those bat detectors and spot pips, Doorbentons etc etc. Above the canteen is a huge colonies of pips.

AIN'T NATURE BRILLIANT!!! 8)
 
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