Cycling Photo Challenge - Entries and Chat

[Crackle]

I've entitled this one 'Ducks in Space' as my bike is parked on Saturn, which is why you've got that solar wind

I was trying to entice this chap around the front of the bike

but i ran out of bread and when I turned around to get the stuff I'd left on the bench, I realized I'd tied the dog up with his extra long bike lead and he'd managed to get his thieving beak into the bag and snaffle my bribes. Never take a Labrador to a photoshoot. It also means in about an hour, he's going to start farting like he's in a competition. Which is why I don't let him eat wheat!

 

[coffeejo]

Some free range chickens at Escot Park on Wednesday.

 

[summerdays]

Is @Crackle allowed to offer inducements to encourage them to take part in his photoshoot? (I'm just a wee bit jealous that I didn't think of it myself)

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I've entitled this one 'Ducks in Space'...

This should be disqualified due to the mislabeling of the title. I rec about 40% of the birds in this pic are wing rats which are not cute quacky birdies but diseased vermin and to try and pretend they're not part of the scene is disingenuous in the extreme.

 

[Crackle]

Is @Crackle allowed to offer inducements to encourage them to take part in his photoshoot? (I'm just a wee bit jealous that I didn't think of it myself)

This should be disqualified due to the mislabeling of the title. I rec about 40% of the birds in this pic are wing rats which are not cute quacky birdies but diseased vermin and to try and pretend they're not part of the scene is disingenuous in the extreme.

You two can take some fruit along with you

 

[Donger]

I took my phone with me on my ride today just in case I saw a bird. About 4 miles into my ride I spotted a Turkey Vulture, most people around here call them Turkey Buzzards. It landed very close to the road and I rode past it and it didn't take off. I found out it can be tough to get a wild bird in the same shot with a bicycle on the spur of the moment. I got home and looked and the best shot I had was another spot the bird photo. I did walk up to it to get a closer shot to prove to y'all that it was actually a bird, but the sun was behind me and my phone screen had a glare, and instead of flying off the direction I thought it would, it came right back toward me, so all my other shots were just a blur of trees and sky. Shots like one might use to demonstrate what they see when they have a bout of vertigo or right before they faint or something.

behind the mail box, close to the bottom of the fence

here is the shot when I walked up to make it fly, at the end of the fence, wings down flying
I know...I need a little more practice.

Newspapers everywhere should ditch their "spot the ball" competitions immediately, and replace them with "spot the vulture". This was much more fun. On a more personal note, I have actually had vultures circling above me when cycling in the South of France. Rather unnerving really. Kind of discourages you from lying down for a quick nap in the sun, knowing that they'd have your eyeballs out the moment you start shallow breathing.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I like it when they circle over my workplace. Truly unnerves the newbies.

 

[Spinney]

Four more days, folks, get snapping!

 

[summerdays]

Does this count? This morning, far better weather than when I was here yesterday evening pulling on my waterproofs!

 

[Spinney]

Well, there's definitely birds there!

 

[RWright]

Yes, if you can now keep your moggie away! I think the protests were about photographing it rather than putting it straight back once you saw it had babies in it.
Let us know if you do manage to keep the cat away!

I did some online reading, called the NC Wildlife Resource Commission and talked to a local lady that takes care of hurt raptors in the area. I learned more about the Carolina wren than I would have ever imagined. I moved the nest a short distance to get it up away from the cat. I made sure to do it while the parent birds were around. They were on the new location within a minute or two of me going inside.

I used a small container because even though it isn't getting very cool at night, I wanted to make sure they would stay warm.

They grow very quickly, after a few days I thought they might need more space. An ice cream container, two electrical ties and a couple of hands full of pine straw. I just put the old nest inside on top.

I looked in on them yesterday evening and knew they would be leaving the nest very soon. I got a GoPro Hero camera late last year and had never used it. I thought this will be a great time to record them leaving the nest. I spent all last night charging the batteries and learning to use the thing, it is a little complicated but I learned how to do time lapse photos and video recording, even upside down. I got home today and was going to mount it near the nest but the birds were gone.

I didn't see any feathers laying around so hopefully all of them made it alright. The cat didn't get them, he was in the house this morning.

I put the GoPro app on my android phone last night. It is very cool to use with the GoPro Hero. I think I will have some fun with this, even if I missed the Carolina Wren's liftoff. I know where there are some bald eagles. I don't think I will get them in this challenge though. It would be quite a challenge to get a bike and a wild bald eagle in the same shot but I am thinking about how to do it.

 

[Spinney]

...I didn't see any feathers laying around so hopefully all of them made it alright. The cat didn't get them, he was in the house this morning.

I think you have redeemed yourself nicely!

 

[coffeejo]

Taken on Wednesday. Could hear the actual chickens but was unable to persuade any of them to come over the wall. They've clearly become accustomed to life on the inside.

 

[potsy]

Taken on Wednesday. Could hear the actual chickens but was unable to persuade any of them to come over the wall. They've clearly become accustomed to life on the inside.

View attachment 45259

Is this one being donated to 3bm too?

 

[4F]

From this mornings ride