Flock to Marion Again!

[Dzombo]

Flutterby - what camera equipment were you using ?

[Flutterby]

You managed to get some gorgeous photos

Thanks Lis.

[Flutterby]

Flutterby - what camera equipment were you using ?

Hey Dzombo, I had a Canon 700D and a Canon 100 - 400 lens. Before the trip, I was deciding between my son's Canon 100 - 400 or my Sigma 100 - 500 lens. I chose the Canon because it is a better quality lens than the Sigma and produces sharper images, but I wondered afterwards if the extra length with the Sigma would have been a better choice.

I found photographing these birds extremely challenging!! They were constantly moving, and most were some distance away. Once you've managed to find the bird through the lens, you have to try and stay focused on it while it's moving in all directions. Then you have the problem of constantly-changing backgrounds...sea to sky, light to dark, and back again! The prions were particularly difficult to capture, as they are much smaller than the albatrosses and petrels, and much faster! I have hundreds of photos that are out of focus, over-exposed, or under-exposed, and photos of just sea or sky, where I managed to miss the bird completely!! I have very few photos that are perfectly in focus!

[Flutterby]

Southern Giant Petrel.

There are about 2750 breeding pairs at the Prince Edward Islands.

Immature bird

[Flutterby]

Brown (Subantarctic) Skua.

There are about 1000 breeding pairs on the islands. They are scavengers, and when breeding, they will eat burrowing petrels or penguin eggs and chicks.

Brown Skua and White-chinned Petrel

[Lisbeth]

[Flutterby]

Cape/Pintado Petrel.

This bird caused a lot of excitement as it was not seen on the previous Flock to Marion. Apparently, there are only a few breeding pairs on Marion Island.

It's a fairly small bird and very fast so I struggled to get any clear pics.

[Flutterby]

Grey-headed Albatross.

There are about 9500 breeding pairs on the Prince Edward Islands.

[Dzombo]

@Flutterby,

Thanks for the background re your photography

I have a Sigma 50-500 that I use in Kruger.
It is very heavy, and I doubt I would be able to use it in these conditions

[Flutterby]

Yes! Even the Canon 100 - 400 became really heavy in a very short time and I was constantly flexing my wrist. I had taken a monopod with me, but I found that it restricted my movement when trying to follow the birds so I gave up using that.