Getting close to a Black-necked grebe. Bird photography in the best light at dawn

[@rogerhance5883]

Nice video Mike. Looks a very nice video head. Glad you got it back.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Making a YT film on getting it back

[@marif6598]

Great video. Chock full of information. I found the details about video heads very valuable.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ulflundh5813]

thanks

[@stevevickers2844]

As you say mike brilliant light

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Light is everything!

[@gerhardwiesinger]

Nice scenes, also a good one: You can have all the gear but you’ve got to have it here! 🙂

[@joshmaresch811]

😂 be there in 15 😂

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

True that!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

True that.

[@mazaribeiro]

I've always been a Canon fan and have been using their gear for many years now. Then I decided to get into Macro photography. Got myself an Olympus mark ii after reading some good feedback on it and the 60mm f2.8 macro. Boy that combo makes such nice photos. Then I decided to try it for portrait, and I was mesmerised by the colours produced by such an old body and a normal lense (not pro line). I then thought, why not try it for wildlife? That's when I came across your channel. Long story short, I ordered the 300mm F4 and tried it on the mark ii and was extremely impressed by the quality of the photos, I then ended up buying the OM1 and that's now my new go-to set for wildlife and I'm keeping the mark ii for macro. I will get rid of my Canon gear and will never look back. Thank you so much for the effort and sharing with us your knowledge. I'm now hooked on your channel, mainly because of your character, passion for WL photography and your humility.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks for your comments

[@Raysnature]

Very similar story to me except I was a Nikon man.

[@louisswaim7024]

Thanks for sharing! I really enjoyed watching the Black-necked Grebe. We have them here in California, but they’re named Eared Grebes, for their dramatic mating plumage.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks for the info!

[@CamillaI]

A Black-necked grebe has turned up at one of my local reserves, thanks mike you have inspired me as the Short Eared Owls are not showing well in this weather. Great shots and footage 👍

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Another rainy day here.

[@BeaktoLensphotography]

The shots looked lovely with the green light Mike.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Light is everything in photography!

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

Nice info about your tripod heads, Mike. I believe that is the same bird that we call a pied-bill grebe here in the US. We have one that stops by frequently at The Pond. I enjoy watching it dive down to be bottom and come up with a crawfish. Very hard to get an interesting picture because it always moves away toward the middle of The Pond when I am around with my camera. About the most interesting shot I can think of would be an underwater shot.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks for your input.

[@jeanlouis83]

Bonjour, de belles images et un bon explicatif pour les tetes Merci

[@AlexMcDougallPhotography]

Excellent video to watch, love grebes. Hope I can improve my own videos to provide as good a quality as you do. Thanks

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks for watching!

[@birdwatcherlubuski]

Great footage Mike, as usual. Looks very dabchicky. How does it compare to a dabchick in terms of size?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

The dabchick is noticeably smaller.

[@vicmassart6933]

Hi Mike. Thanks for sharing this new video. For similar shooting locations, I'm using a "Walkstool" with the three legs in collapsed position / one only, larger, contact point with the ground, which not only grants me a lower position but is perfect on sloping, even rocky banks, and allows me to easily adjust position, shoot left/right without losing balance, just pushing on my legs. The only requirement for a comfortable use is to find solid/stable position for my feet. Enjoy your outings. Vic.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Looks interesting. Interesting price at Wex too. £105 for the delux version.

[@vicmassart6933]

depending on the model/size you choose (I went for the smallest/shortest i.e. 28cm from the ground with collapsed legs), might be wise to train sitting and getting up on a soft and safe place first, with nothing in the hands or around the neck, before venturing to sloping rocky ones . . . @@MikeLaneFRPS

[@MartinJSmithPhotographyUK]

Thanks for sharing Mike, great slow-mo. Have you looked at one of those seats that are ground seats with a back and no legs?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Yes I have seen them. It is possible to have too much gear and I am guilty of it!

[@gilleslast3561]

Hi Mike, your feedback about heads is so valuable. Thanks for that. The « green water » is really a plus.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bellasvistas3463]

"got to have it here." a Keeper

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks

[@ツPeter]

Hi Mike, do have have a clue where I could go see owls any type, in west midlands?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Best to monitor all the west midlands birdwathcing sites. Middlehall has had barn owl for ages, but I do not know day to day if they are showing. This page is a list of several birdwatching sites. www.westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk/recent-sightings

[@ツPeter]

@@MikeLaneFRPS Cheers!

[@ツPeter]

@@MikeLaneFRPS Is that near Middleton lakes RSPB?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Yes thats it.

[@ツPeter]

@@MikeLaneFRPS yes did look on google maps. Cheers for the information. I do know there is a great chance it wont be there!

[@andrewgaffney4881]

Yeah, I'm not good at getting up early either.