|
First unread post | | 13 posts | | Page 1 of 1 |
1DII, 400/5.6, ISO 800, 1/1250 @ f10 = +1
On the way down to a mini nsn meet for Puffins at Skomer I stopped for a couple of hours at Gigrin Farm to enjoy the Kites. I didn't intend actually photographing the Kites as I wanted to keep my memory cards empty for the Puffins (haven't got a portable storage device yet), but you just can't resist can you. I would like to say thanks to Chris who runs Gigrin Farm for transfering my kite images to dvd, it was a real help. I promised Chris a write up in return for burning the dvd, so here it is, moderators I hope this is ok ? Gigrin Farm is quite well known as a Red Kite feeding centre located in central Wales, for directions I will refer you to the official website, http://www.gigrin.co.uk/ . They feed the Kites at 3.00 pm in summer time, and 2.00 pm winter time. This is because the Kites don't change their watches ! As well as the Kites, Buzzards and most species of Corvid feed at Gigrin, and a Heron or two can be seen also. The Kites rarely actually land, but circle over the feeding area, and swoop in dramatically grabbing a piece of meat and flying off with it, giving excellent flight shooting opportunities. Shooting with a 1DII I found a 400/5.6 plenty of lens for the situation for the most part, and only used the 500/4 occasionally, mainly for Buzzards and Ravens sat on fence posts. After about half an hour most of the (human) visitors will leave, giving you the place to yourself more or less, even on bank holidays. Don't even consider leaving with them because the feeding will actually carry on for a couple of hours, maybe more depending on conditions, as the Kites like to soar on the thermals in nice weather and tend to come in later under these conditions. As the afternoon continues waves of Kites come in, feed and depart to be replaced by another group, and you get different age groups through the afternoon with dominant adults coming in earlier, and younger birds later on. The hides are well situated with the sun behind them, giving good lighting conditions during feeding time. I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Gigrin to anyone wanting to photograph Red Kites, or even if you just want to enjoy the spectacle of these beautiful & graceful birds feeding. Colin
|
|
|
by KK Hui
on Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:29 pm
|
Posts: 42681
Joined: 21 Aug 2003 Location: Hong Kong, China Member #:00536 |
||
|
by Cindy Marple
on Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:48 pm
|
Posts: 29621
Joined: 21 Aug 2003 Location: Gilbert, AZ Member #:00038 |
||
|
by mrhughj
on Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:50 pm
|
Posts: 8733
Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL |
||
|
by Alan Murphy
on Sun Jul 17, 2005 8:07 pm
|
Posts: 27330
Joined: 20 Aug 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Member #:00014 |
||
|
by Fabs Forns
on Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:13 pm
|
Posts: 17752
Joined: 22 Jun 2004 Location: Coral Gables, Fl Member #:00393 |
||
|
by Christopher Dodds
on Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:30 pm
|
Posts: 9554
Joined: 20 Jul 2004 Location: Huntingdon (QC) Canada Member #:00362 |
||
|
by LHays
on Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:30 pm
|
Posts: 12363
Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Location: Northern Kentucky Member #:00040 |
||
|
by Hendrix
on Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:21 am
|
Posts: 1920
Joined: 25 Oct 2004 Location: HongKong |
||
|
by Darryl Morgan
on Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:57 am
|
Posts: 1546
Joined: 12 May 2005 Location: Hampshire, UK |
||
|
by Terence P. Brashear
on Mon Jul 18, 2005 8:55 am
|
Posts: 4436
Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Location: San Diego, CA USA Member #:00600 |
||
|
by Steve Metildi
on Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:24 am
|
Posts: 10
Joined: 3 Mar 2004 Location: Orange County, CA Member #:00266 |
||
|
by Rob Palmer
on Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:57 am
|
Posts: 8350
Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Location: Boulder, Colorado, USA |
||
|
13 posts | | Page 1 of 1 |