![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/american-goldfinch-4237-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-goldfinch-4237-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nA mostly meaningless milestone but a milestone nevertheless.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n You know me, it seems I’m always trying to get takeoff shots. But they’re damn tough to get, especially with songbirds because they’re small and incredibly quick. When using a long lens with the bird fairly large in the frame human reflexes just aren’t fast enough to push the shutter button before they’re gone. So you have to try to anticipate takeoff, fire a burst and hope for the best.<\/p>\n On average I probably try at least 20 times for every time I’m successful. When you throw in all the other things that can and do go wrong (bird takes off in the wrong direction, bird is soft, wings in front of the face, ad infinitum) the odds become astronomically longer. But yesterday morning near a stream in the mountains lightning struck twice, with the same bird and within just a few seconds..<\/p>\n When this female American Goldfinch landed reasonably close to me I wasn’t fond of the out of focus white twig coming out of her head behind her so a takeoff shot became my priority. .<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Getting it was pure dumb luck. She gave no indication of imminent takeoff but I fired off several bursts and timed this shot just about right. She’s slightly soft but I still count it as a win.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n She landed only a couple of feet from her previous perch so I decided to try again. This time she actually gave me a very subtle indication of imminent takeoff – soon after this shot was taken she crouched slightly so she could more effectively push off with her legs and feet. Songbirds typically don’t crouch before takeoff (they’re so lightweight they don’t have to) but when they do I try to take advantage of it.<\/p>\n When I saw her crouch I fired off another burst and…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n got lucky again.<\/p>\n In more than 13 years of photographing birds I believe this was the first time I ever got acceptable back-to-back takeoff shots from the same songbird. Neither photo will win any awards but it’s my nature to keep mental track of such things – can’t help myself.<\/p>\n As I said it’s mostly a meaningless milestone but it’s one I’ll remember. If nothing else it gave me great practice and raised my confidence level.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/american-goldfinch-4238-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"american-goldfinch-4238-ron-dudley\\"")
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