Red kite - Milvus milvus

Attached is one photo of many that I took this week of Red Kites near Watlington (junction 6 M40).

I'm not happy with the results or with my lens - Canon EF 55-250mm IS. The auto-focus had repeated problems getting a lock when the kites flew over the top of trees close to me and refused to focus properly without zooming out to 55mm before zooming back to 250mm - I probably missed at least 30 "good" opportunities.

What are "good" settings in terms of speed, exposure and ISO for these type of shots? Would I have done better with a 300mm prime lens?

The EXIF data for this shot is:

aperture: f6.3
shutter: 1/320
ISO: 200
focal length: 250mm

My "reasoning" for these settings was to get as fast a shutter speed as possible but has the aperture setting shortened the depth of field too much? I also didn't use a monopod - would that have helped?

I'll post process some of the better shots and post them later. The one attached has only been cropped and hasn't been sharpened.

Comments and suggestions appreciated :)

Nice shot Mark. :)

I've found that autofocus is not easy on flying birds, absolutely useless on the 50-500 Sigma and not very good on the 70-300 Olympus lens, which even if it starts roughly in focus, drives itself out of focus. I tend to use manual most of the time and hope that a percentage will fly into focus. :)

Unfortunately the lens I'd love for birds in flight is the 300mm Zuiko prime, but it is more than £3,000. :)

ISO wise, I normally use 400 or more for flight pictures, often 800 and take out the noise with Noise Ninja at the processing stage.

Not sure how much of an advantage IS is on long lenses with action shots, but you seem to have achieved a good hand held result there at a relatively slow shutter speed.

I could track and keep the lens centred on the bird (the centre square in the eye piece) it was when I saw a "new" kite that it freaked out every now and then.

You might have better autofocus results using the lens wide open, I know it lessens the depth of field, but it increases the light in the lens and I've found my auto focus is much quicker in good light.

Excellent photo I think .

Yes I agree an excellent capture:)

A couple of others that have been slightly sharpened.

Yes, Excellent captures Mark Well done:thumbsup:

well mark, i wish i could be as unhappy about my photos!!!:014:
these are excellent shots of a fantastic bird. lucky you, getting to see these near to you.:thumbsup:
on the first shot of the three, it looks like it truly was a ''kite''. it seems like there is string attached to it!!:)

It's the type of string that gives you good luck if it hits you :D

and thanks for your comments.

say no more, mark !!!!:-rolling

I found this today: http://www.gigrin.co.uk/redkite.html

Lots of red kites, although I can't see the benefit to the bird of tagging their wings (as well as ruining photos)?

This would be a good URL to place in the The thread 'Places to visit for wildlife' Mark
Looks really super

I think by tagging there wings they can keep track f there travels and breading habits and rise and decline sort of thing