Photographing Marsh Harriers from a Hide - But Do I Have Enough Reach? And Tips on Hide Photography

Рет қаралды 16,435

Күн бұрын

I'm at Blacktoft Sands RSPB Bird Reserve to photograph Marsh Harriers - but do I have enough Focal Length? I'm using a Canon R6 Mirrorless Camera with EF 500mm Lens & 1.4x Extender, giving me a total 700mm, full frame. Will it be enough for these birds in flight?
In this video I'm lucky to watch both male and female Marsh Harriers displaying - part of their courtship in Spring. I also get some high speed action shots of Geese. Once editing the video and photos I noticed some heat haze which I hadn't really noticed at the time - this is something you can't do much about and it's usually a case of being patient. The only real way to reduce it is to get closer.
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This video was filmed with a Canon M50 and 15-45mm lens.
Equipment: Canon R6, Canon EF 500mm Mark i F/4 Lens; Canon EF Mark iii 1.4x Extender; F-Stop Satori Bag
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Пікірлер: 67

@BrentHall Ай бұрын

That harrier footage was awesome, but the way that goose absolutely face planted the water was hilarious...poor thing, lol.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Ай бұрын

Cheers man. Not bad considering I didn't have a proper camera support, lol! Yeah, I never noticed until editing the video.. that goose really does go face first! Hope you're enjoying your photography Brent.

@Kellysher Ай бұрын

😊I love to see 2 of my favorite You tubers watching each other! I love both of your channels!

@PaulMiguelPhotography 7 күн бұрын

And I love Brent's channel too.

@CamillaI Ай бұрын

Nice one Paul down South we have RSPB Radipole & Lodmoor in Weymouth Dorset which is often good for Marsh Harriers. Magnificent Birds of Prey great video 👍

@danniburgess Ай бұрын

Visited this site yesterday Paul and it didn't disappoint for marsh harriers. Gave me an opportunity to practise my birds in flight target and managed a lucky display from the spoonbill there too! Great location, thanks for this!

@PaulMiguelPhotography Ай бұрын

Hey Danni! That's great. Aren't they fantastic? Spoonbills too.. that's a bonus. Did you see any interaction between the harriers?

@danniburgess Ай бұрын

@@PaulMiguelPhotography no interaction like your brilliant experience but plenty of them searching for prey. Saw plenty of water voles nearer the hide so perhaps they will find those soon.

@geofffield7805 Ай бұрын

Lovely video of the Marsh Harrier in flight - don't worry about the distance - main thing is you captured it and showed it to us. Many thanks for putting Blacktoft Sands on my radar. I live about 120 miles away but I'll get there soon. Made my first visit to St Aidans last week!

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

Thanks very much. I hope you enjoyed St. Aidans!

@Richardisonline Ай бұрын

Maybe the gueese are following you.. they like your photography style... cool video, Paul 😁

@bobmann7289 6 күн бұрын

Hi Paul, been looking through your videos/ I was in the hide sitting at the side window. I did say hi. Great video

@PaulMiguelPhotography 6 күн бұрын

Thank you. Sorry if I didn't chat more. It's hard work making these vlogs. I hope you had a good day there.

@SteveHedgesPhotography Ай бұрын

Hi Paul, lovely footage of the marsh harriers. I think environmental shots can work really well on occasions. I had my closest encounter with a male marsh harrier a couple of days ago. Totally unexpected, I was photographing a kestrel when this marsh harrier came into view. All the best Steve.

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

Cheers Steve. Sounds lovely. I agree.. and I actually really like the environmental shots.

@paulbaldwin2290 Ай бұрын

Great editing Paul music including excellent slow motion birds real credit to you 👏👏👏

@dbphotofilm Ай бұрын

Great footage, love hide photography

@paulliversage4479 Ай бұрын

If you're ever up in the northwest..leighton moss is very good for close up shots especially from the grisdale hide when the coots and ducks have chicks

@chipsrafferty8362 Ай бұрын

The male is stunning much like the Northern Harrier here in Florida,one of if not the most sought after to photograph raptor,by me at least.

@garylevers418 Ай бұрын

Love spending time at Blacktoft watching the harriers

@radosawkarwacki4386 Ай бұрын

Great video, very informative! I love marsh harriers and I recently had an opportunity to see one up close as it was hunting above a pond where I was photographing ducks. I'm sorry about the autofocus, but I am thankful that you included that in the video. It is so frustrating when it happens, but also reassuring to see it happen to others, too!

@tomlee812 Ай бұрын

Marsh harriers always seem elusive or, like you, when they do come near the focus won't lock! Your experience is typical of that I see at Rye Harbour NR in East Sussex or Dungeness RSPB in Kent. This was enjoyable to watch.

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

Sometimes it's a combination of things - the background, their plumage, the light.

@Bevieevans8 Ай бұрын

Saw 2 at Pottetic Carr the other day. Amazing birds

@PaulMiguelPhotography Ай бұрын

They're lovely to watch. Beautiful flight.

@irena7777777 Ай бұрын

Outstanding. Love this

@Andyhelliwellphotography Ай бұрын

I like the voice over you’ve done something for me to look in to in future

@geofffield7805 Ай бұрын

For hide photography I mount my gimbal on a Cam Caddie cheese plate from Amazon. Sits on the shelf and it’s height adjustable.

@okay_birds Ай бұрын

Terrific work! Greetings from the Pacific Northwest 🌊 Declan 🦉

@SkylarkFields Ай бұрын

Excellent!

@henkvandenbergh1301 Ай бұрын

Thank you Paul! I am heading out from Denver to south Texas this Thursday for a birding trip with a full Solar Eclipse stop in Austin. I know I need extra help with distance shots (birding, not sun 😅)so your video was very timely.

@recnepsmaharg Ай бұрын

Hi Paul - Graham Spencer (from St Aidens) here, The Double Storey Hide is where I had most success there, Marsh Harrier Landed 50 foot away. Also the hide on the extreme west of the site had good views of them too. Your video has pushed me to go there again.

@PaulMiguelPhotography 27 күн бұрын

Thanks very much Graham. Actually meant to try that hide. Others said the end hide was best. Next time I go I'll try that hide.

@laurelb8372 Ай бұрын

Beautiful footage

@johnhitchen5408 Ай бұрын

Nice video Paul, great place Blacktoft, on my last visit I ended up using manual focus, just couldn't latch onto them with AF but worked pretty well with focus peaking.

@PeterLariviere Ай бұрын

Another great video of a beautiful bird...had a look on ebird to see if it is a species I might see on an upcoming (in 3 weeks) trip to South West France...and yes it looks like a bird that regularly is seen in two of the sites I am planning on visiting. So I am now armed with some good bird photography Intel!!

@nigellumb4681 Ай бұрын

I was sat in the hide when you filmed some of this fab watching the Marsh Harriers do their stuff.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Ай бұрын

Great to watch. The displaying was amazing. Hope you had a good time.

@chrisdewhurst8418 Ай бұрын

Hi Paul another great video, Blacktoft is one of my favourite reserves to visit, and in my experience the results can very from one visit to the next, on more than one occasion I was lucky enough to get frame filling shots of Marsh Harrier when all I had was my old 400mm f5.6 prime, I've also witnessed the Duck try and chase off the Harrier there, can't remember the name on the hide, but the best one used to be the one on the far right!

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

Wow, frame filling at 400mm.. very nice! Yes, I was on the far right too Chris.

@user-ro3hx5dz9q Ай бұрын

Nice video Paul and great music. You do very well handholding a heavy rig of 700mm @ 1/2000 seconds. Just could not do that very well myself. No doubt Blacktoft is a great place for M. Harriers but some of the backgrounds can be awful. So picking the right hide is important otherwise you will end up with a pylon or wires running through your dream shot. Patience is paramount as occasionally they do come very close. Good tip about getting a corner seat in a hide as it improves visibility and opportunity

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

Agreed, the backgrounds aren't always great - something I meant to mention in the video. Will definitely try a different hide next time I visit.

@garystone6583 Ай бұрын

Great video Paul. The Marsh Harriers are great looking birds in flight. As regards to the tripod dilemma, I use a Rollei Compact Traveler mini M 1, its metal construction and arca swiss compatable ball head fits in a side pocket of camera bag. not had any issues with holding my old 5dmk4 with sigma 150-600 and now the R6 mk2 with 1,25 or 2.0 ectenders on. rock solid.

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

That sounds interesting. Good that your current set up is working for you

@MyWildSide_photography Ай бұрын

Love the video footage, gave me goosebumps. I find many reserves hard to photograph from as the hides are often far away from the birds. Great vlog though and nice editing.

@PaulMiguelPhotography 27 күн бұрын

Very kind. Yes, hides on nature reserves often aren't the best - but like anything, you get to know what works.

@AstrocandyTV Ай бұрын

Good video. I've come to the realisation that I have a strong dislike for British hides. For me bird photography is about the outdoors, roaming about, enjoying the fresh air and what one might find around the next corner or across the next field. Sure, you can open the windows on a hide for a bit of fresh air but it's not the same thing. I'll stick to the outdoors.

@JoeMaranophotography Ай бұрын

Another crazy timed video. Went out myself to an area I hadn't visited in ages yesterday and spotted a Marsh Harrier almost instantly due to its white feathers around the head area. Struggled a bit with their distance but nothing I can't work on over Spring :) You got nice environmental shots and better than mine!

@PaulMiguelPhotography 27 күн бұрын

Great stuff. Where are you based Joe?

@JoeMaranophotography 27 күн бұрын

@PaulMiguelPhotography West Norfolk mate. I call where I live the Wretton rainforest 😆

@leo1066 Ай бұрын

Great video of the Harrier and the accompanying music. Love your work. I have a question: As the Canon R6 has a 1.6 crop factor mode, what are the comparisons of using that in stead of the 1.4 Extender or even using them both together? Thank you

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

Thank you. I'll be honest.. I didn't even know the camera had that! Something for me to bear in mind.

@scooter5193 Ай бұрын

Nice one Paul. You got some good shots of the Harrier. Seems very similar to the Northern Harrier from my neck of the woods. How do you find the 500 without the lens hood? I have the same lens and find contrast suffers when I don’t use the hood. All the best, Scott

@PaulMiguelPhotography 27 күн бұрын

Good question. I don't think I've honestly noticed a difference without lens hood - but I'll look out for that.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Ай бұрын

If you like this style of video, check out my session Photographing Jays in Flight: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qJd9n9iql7OueIU.html

@ianpawson1356 Ай бұрын

Great video and advice, my 150-600 sigma zoom is never enough but always struggle if I put my 2x converter on

@PaulMiguelPhotography Ай бұрын

That's the problem, sometimes extenders can reduce quality too much. And slow focus down. Sometimes I think it can be better go without and crop the image down.

@stuartscott3616 Ай бұрын

Try far ings nature reserve they come alot closer their

@ED-on8to Ай бұрын

Hello Paul, you have a Canon EF 500mm F4 L IS I USM lens. Is it true, that these lenses can't execute 12 to 20 FPS from a Canon R6/ R5? What is your opinion on the point that these old lenses are not serviced any more? Best regards, Eike

@PaulMiguelPhotography 26 күн бұрын

It is a concern, yes. If it breaks down I don't think it will be repaired. my EF lenses give me 7 or 8 FPS on mechanical shutter. Electronic stays the same - 20 on mine

@ED-on8to 26 күн бұрын

@@PaulMiguelPhotography Thank you for your answer.

@JohnW-hm3eg Ай бұрын

So, what is difference of 500mm you use to that of 500mm Reflex? Other than f/4 to that of f/8 , respectively?

@PaulMiguelPhotography 27 күн бұрын

I think that's a mirror lens? I don't think it really compares for image quality. And background highlights can look odd with those lenses.

@JohnW-hm3eg 26 күн бұрын

Ok, I guess. However you don't seem sure in your writing that you have used such, correct??

@erichaswell6742 Ай бұрын

Nice video. I’m sure you could get better photography if the hides were better quality and definitely a better design. I noticed the way you were stooping and contorting your body around due to the poor seating, poor seat height to window height, plus it appears the hide is too far out of the ground. Nice video though.

@PaulMiguelPhotography 27 күн бұрын

Thanks. It's all part of the hide experience. Hides for birdwatching and hides for photography are usually quite different.