Chasing ducks and geese

frogman1206 · Nov 05, 2009, 08:56 PM

I went out this evening near sunset to my usual practice place. It's where I got to try new techniques or equipment. There is a little farm house a few hundred yards away and a pond where the ducks and geese like to congregate. At sunset they like to land too. I was out tonite to try and get some sunset pics but ended up chasing the ducks trying to get a nice shot of them in the air. I got a few and a few sunset pics too. Here are a few of my favorite pics.

This was I was just flying low over the pond to see what I would get. My father-in-law is a big duck hunter.....he may be getting this image framed for christmas.

Here is the best shot of the duck/goose in the air that I got. Unfortunately it was getting later and I had cranked the ISO on the A640 up to 400 so it was a little noisy. I did crop and rotate the image to get it looking good...and played with the colors a little. Pretty cool image.

Here was one of my better sunset pics.

I have seen so many nice sunrise and sunset images posted here. What kind of camera settings are you using to get those beautiful shots? I got the plane up really high and killed the engine and then pointed the nose up as much as possible without stalling. The camera is pointed down a little too much to get a the amount of sky in the shot I wanted. When I get my downlink setup it should be a little easier. I just couldn't get the look I wanted.

Anyway...it was fun chasing the ducks and geese.

Here are the other pics from tonight too. Some are a little dark because of the cam settings...still figuring it all out.

http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l9...hotos/Sunsets/

quailbird · Nov 05, 2009, 10:12 PM

I think the first two are gorgeous! They are all good but I really like the first two. Man, when I was young I would have be very happy to see ducks on a pond like that. Way to go.

olivdudu · Nov 07, 2009, 05:06 PM

nevertheless the little noise, this air to air shot is mighty! congrats

cheers

olivier

fritzdecat · Nov 07, 2009, 05:20 PM

Payback time on those damn Canada Geese

Give em hell just don't get em stuck in your turbines

I like the fall sunsets are nice but I'll be glad when it goes back to getting dark at 7 or 8

frogman1206 · Nov 07, 2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olivdudu

nevertheless the little noise, this air to air shot is mighty! congrats

cheers

olivier

Yea...I was pretty happy when I saw that image pop up on my screen. That was freakin' cool. I was out chasing ducks around this afternoon again with the cam in video mode. No luck. I thought I was on them a few times and all I got is about 5 seconds of them landing in the pond. I did break up a few flocks though.

guyg · Nov 08, 2009, 01:27 AM

Great air 2 air
Guy

randall1959 · Nov 08, 2009, 09:21 AM

I just bought one of those epp eagle kits. I can hardly wait for it to get here. It appears that birds are more curious about other birds, moreso than an airplane flying around. The one I have coming is allready done in color so all I have to do is put it together. To keep it light I'm just going to use my keychain cameras, one forward and one rear.

John O'Sullivan · Nov 08, 2009, 11:08 AM

Epp Eagles are fun machines.
I've had one for a year and a half and it gets lots of air time. I find it a bit touchy on pitch but flies well and have have had 20min+ thermal flights on it. Had thought about putting cameras on it but as I have other camera dedicated models have not got around to putting them in the eagle.
No reason why it should not work very well (video or stills). There's a lot of room.

I've had eagles, gulls, crows and ospreys follow my model around with intrest, but no aggression. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with it.

John

fritzdecat · Nov 08, 2009, 12:39 PM

"I find it a bit touchy on pitch "

that is the gospel truth

don't put the CG too far back

frogman1206 · Nov 08, 2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randall1959

I just bought one of those epp eagle kits. I can hardly wait for it to get here. It appears that birds are more curious about other birds, moreso than an airplane flying around. The one I have coming is allready done in color so all I have to do is put it together. To keep it light I'm just going to use my keychain cameras, one forward and one rear.

I went to an electric fly in this last June at the local AMA field and someone had the bald eagle plane. It looked like a real eagle soaring up there. It was pretty cool looking.

EyP3 · Nov 08, 2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

he may be getting this image framed for christmas.

Wonderful shot and great idea.

I like the air to air shot too.
Don't chase the duckies too much

Cheers,
Norbert

randall1959 · Nov 08, 2009, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fritzdecat

"I find it a bit touchy on pitch "

that is the gospel truth

don't put the CG too far back

I'm planning on moving the CG as far forward as the design will allow. I've done a lot of reading on the eagle. I'm not worried about trying any sort of aerobatics. This will be for smooth, level flight with a minimum of aerobatic flying. When I get it built I'm going up to the nature preserve near here to see if the park rangers will let me fly it there. They have over 100 mated pairs of bald eagles.

etman · Nov 09, 2009, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randall1959

I just bought one of those epp eagle kits. I can hardly wait for it to get here. It appears that birds are more curious about other birds, moreso than an airplane flying around. The one I have coming is allready done in color so all I have to do is put it together. To keep it light I'm just going to use my keychain cameras, one forward and one rear.

Eagle Cam (3 min 14 sec)

Hi Randall,

I just did that yesterday, with two RC eagles.
It is easier to video the birds chasing your eagle with cameras rear facing, than the other way around. The cone of vision of the key fob cam is really small.
Hope to see your successful video.

randall1959 · Nov 09, 2009, 07:20 AM

I've just come to a conclusion that we need someone to start a "bird" thread. Bird ap, bird a2a.........

etman · Nov 09, 2009, 07:39 AM

Eagle vs. Eagle in Mid-Air (2 min 0 sec)

Falcon Attack: Peregrine Divebombs Flock of Starlings (0 min 58 sec)

Nov 05, 2009, 08:56 PM	#1
frogman1206 Frogman Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Stoughton, WI Posts: 171	Chasing ducks and geese I went out this evening near sunset to my usual practice place. It's where I got to try new techniques or equipment. There is a little farm house a few hundred yards away and a pond where the ducks and geese like to congregate. At sunset they like to land too. I was out tonite to try and get some sunset pics but ended up chasing the ducks trying to get a nice shot of them in the air. I got a few and a few sunset pics too. Here are a few of my favorite pics. This was I was just flying low over the pond to see what I would get. My father-in-law is a big duck hunter.....he may be getting this image framed for christmas. Here is the best shot of the duck/goose in the air that I got. Unfortunately it was getting later and I had cranked the ISO on the A640 up to 400 so it was a little noisy. I did crop and rotate the image to get it looking good...and played with the colors a little. Pretty cool image. Here was one of my better sunset pics. I have seen so many nice sunrise and sunset images posted here. What kind of camera settings are you using to get those beautiful shots? I got the plane up really high and killed the engine and then pointed the nose up as much as possible without stalling. The camera is pointed down a little too much to get a the amount of sky in the shot I wanted. When I get my downlink setup it should be a little easier. I just couldn't get the look I wanted. Anyway...it was fun chasing the ducks and geese. Here are the other pics from tonight too. Some are a little dark because of the cam settings...still figuring it all out. http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l9...hotos/Sunsets/

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Nov 05, 2009, 10:12 PM	#2
quailbird Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Rich Hill Missouri 64779 Posts: 5,643	I think the first two are gorgeous! They are all good but I really like the first two. Man, when I was young I would have be very happy to see ducks on a pond like that. Way to go.

Nov 07, 2009, 05:06 PM	#3
olivdudu olivier Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dinan ,Brittany ,France Posts: 892	nevertheless the little noise, this air to air shot is mighty! congrats cheers olivier

Nov 07, 2009, 05:20 PM	#4
fritzdecat Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cedar Grove North Carolina Posts: 412	Payback time on those damn Canada Geese Give em hell just don't get em stuck in your turbines I like the fall sunsets are nice but I'll be glad when it goes back to getting dark at 7 or 8

Nov 08, 2009, 01:27 AM	#6
guyg TEL-AVIV ISRAEL Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Ness- Ziona Posts: 2,014	Great air 2 air Guy

Nov 08, 2009, 09:21 AM	#7
randall1959 Just an eye in the sky... Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States Posts: 3,811	I just bought one of those epp eagle kits. I can hardly wait for it to get here. It appears that birds are more curious about other birds, moreso than an airplane flying around. The one I have coming is allready done in color so all I have to do is put it together. To keep it light I'm just going to use my keychain cameras, one forward and one rear.

Nov 08, 2009, 11:08 AM	#8
John O'Sullivan Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Nova Scotia Canada Posts: 836	Epp Eagles are fun machines. I've had one for a year and a half and it gets lots of air time. I find it a bit touchy on pitch but flies well and have have had 20min+ thermal flights on it. Had thought about putting cameras on it but as I have other camera dedicated models have not got around to putting them in the eagle. No reason why it should not work very well (video or stills). There's a lot of room. I've had eagles, gulls, crows and ospreys follow my model around with intrest, but no aggression. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with it. John

Nov 08, 2009, 12:39 PM	#9
fritzdecat Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cedar Grove North Carolina Posts: 412	"I find it a bit touchy on pitch " that is the gospel truth don't put the CG too far back

Nov 09, 2009, 07:20 AM	#14
randall1959 Just an eye in the sky... Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Saint Joseph, Missouri, United States Posts: 3,811	I've just come to a conclusion that we need someone to start a "bird" thread. Bird ap, bird a2a.........