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Post by Ramon Quisumbing on Dec 6, 2011 0:24:39 GMT
My wife and I hooked up with my daughter in Florence (Firenze), Italy. We checked into the Hotel Berchielli a few doors down from the famous Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge). I got a room overlooking the Arno River, hoping to do some birding from our room. Boy, was I surprised at the number and variety of birds and photo opportunities. Canon 1D Mark IV, 400 mm lens, handheld. Eurasian Common Moorhen ( Gallinula chloropus). There were 2 adults and 2 juveniles living on the riverbank directly below my hotel. F/5.6, 1/250 sec. F/5.6, 1/250 sec. Common Kingfisher ( Alcedo atthis ispida), which according to Wikipedia is closely related to the A. a. bengalensis that winters in the Philippines. I believe this one is a male. 1.4x converter, F/8, 1/320 sec. 1.4x converter, F/8, 1/320 sec. Black-headed Gull ( Larus ridibundus) in winter plumage which lacks the black hood -- as correctly identified by Jonas Langbraten. I enjoyed watching these small gulls gracefully soaring just above and feeding in the waters of the Arno River. There were many of them. I also saw 2 of these gulls in Lake Bracciano near Rome. 1.4x converter, F/8, 1/2000 sec. Little Egret ( Egretta garzetta). 1.4x converter, F/8, 1/500 sec. Little Egret gobbling up a tiny fish it caught. 1.4x converter, F/8, 1/2000 sec. Unfortunately, I had the camera set for BIF for the gulls, and did not have the time to set it correctly. Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos), both males. 1.4x converter, F/8, 1/400 sec.
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Post by Ariel Matias on Dec 6, 2011 1:47:16 GMT
Wow! Travel+birding are the best combination! Well done on that BIF shot of the gull.
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Post by Ramon Quisumbing on Dec 6, 2011 5:10:49 GMT
Thanks, Ariel. Birding adds a whole new dimension to traveling. On the BIF shot, it was easy to shoot the gulls from my 4th floor room because they usually fly low so the river is the backdrop rather than the sky. No backlighting problem. No neck and shoulder ache either.
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