I salute you, Astrid2008. And if you don't mind, I'd like first dibs on that tail feather! ALSJEBLIEFT. Pretty please with whipped cream on top. AND ELLEDK! You are such a sneak! Good for you!

Picturit: .....who...me???....a sneak....oh no, I am just an angle always behaving meer dan je weet....thank you Ginnie, when I meet this fella again I just jump it and ask kindly if I can get a trophy.......
Astrid

Great capture, Astrid.
I loved the story.
very interesting pattern in the bird's tail...I can imagine...

Picturit: Ray, I always wanted to capture one of these birds, now I finally got him and I did not have to run after it...I would never had made it.
Astrid

I know how difficult this is ... well done.

Picturit: Yes indeed, thank you.
Astrid

Good story to go with a great shot. Even the DOF is perfect.
You forgot to mention the hell-of-a-noise these pheasants make when they fly up...

Picturit: That reminds me of what happened to me in the apple orchard, I was walking towards a row of trees at the far end of the orchard....I turned the corner...a mail Pheasant was there, I don't know who got who scared.......it flew and it yelled, my heart stopped beating for a while...
With another lady we always would make up all kind of stories that could happen in an orchard, like 'death under the apple tree' and stupid things like that....sometimes it is not nice to have an too big imagination...
Astrid

Well captured, excellent angle of view. I'm even more impressed you managed to give him a tatoo without him realising it

Picturit: Yes, I just showed the best side of me and we started talking and I told him the story of my life, he was so impressed he never knew what hit him..
Astrid

Caption. "I'm looking for a road to run across"

Picturit: I do hope when the bird starts running that road, it looks the heck out for all the speeding cars...it might end up on the BBQ....well I am told they do taste delicious with a kupje coughie.....
Astrid.

Very good Astrid. If I am crawling through the grass and meet you coming the other way - I will realize what you have been doing

Picturit: Chris that would be something else if we met in the high grass...erm..erm...to capture pheasants of course...I think it would be best to leave Mrs.Ratty VIII at home on the couch.
Astrid.

very nice indroduction, yes, as I was looking I saw..., perhaps you have changed into this wonderful pheasant? I like the persepective- deep hidden in the grass and being at eye level with your new friend!

Picturit: I would love to be at eye-level with my new friend and capture those beautiful eyes...
Philine, it was just fun to sneak up to him....it took me some time though.
Astrid.

A great shot Astrid, and LoL at Ginnie.
You have captured this very well mijn vreind.
You would make a good commando for sure..!!
I have seen and heard hundreds of these but not managed to get a shot as good as yours, so well done you

Picturit: Well I never told you about my former life........it was one of those wishes, to capture a pheasant close by....
Thank you so much for your ever kind words, mijn vriend.
Astrid.

brilliant brilliant
absolutely love the signature
so realistic (and nigel's comment's hilarious)

the bird looks like it's doing some guerrilla warfare of its own

Picturit: The bird was a real guerilla I could tell, always hiding in the tall grass...thank you for your kind words,
Astrid.

That thing didn't noticed you!
Nice photo

Picturit: I was really lucky, the moment he saw me.......zoef.....gone by the wind.
Astrid.

A poem.

I'm not a pheasant plucker
but a pheasant plucker's mate
and I'm only plucking pheasants
cos the pheasant plucker's late.

This should be said out loud....but carefully

Beautiful picture Astrid

Picturit: Thank you for the poem...I was very carefully...
Have a nice evening
Astrid.

Great colourful capture he or she an impressive looking bird,and the tatoo is very good

Picturit: It is a he..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Pheasant
thank you for your kind words.
Astrid.

These are very hard to capture with a camera. You did an outstanding job here. Absolutely a perfect shot, such great details and clarity and sharp focus. You nailed this shot!

Picturit: John thank you so much for your compliment, it took me a while to get this picture...I learn to be patient...not always the best side of me
Astrid.

Where I take my autumn woods walks i flush pheasants every time. I would have thought it impossible to sneak up on them but you have managed and you left your mark as well. Good job!

Picturit: Thanks Mary, I was lucky it never saw me, I was on the other side he got his attention to and I walked very very slowly and was on my knees in the grass.
So Mary, there is hope for you....
Astrid.

Bonjour,
well done capture..good "timing"..bravo!

Picturit: Merci beaucoup, I was so lucky it never saw me....
Astrid.

Your efforts are quite well rewarded by this superb capture Astrid! I like your subtle signature on the tail!

Picturit: Thank you so much for your kind words, it was one of my wishes to ever capture this bird...and when I did, I made it 'mine'
Astrid

Splendid shot

Picturit: Thank you Zohre and thank you for visiting too.
Your blog is really impressive.
Have a nice evening
Astrid.

Great capture. I know exactly that feeling..of knowing you've got a bird in your hand..and then they fly away.
Beautiful coloring in his feathers.

Picturit: Exactly, it goes fast.....and I had to make sure to stay low and make no noise at all, thank you for your kind words.
Astrid

So you have your own personalised pheasants now Astrid! A great capture of a very stupid bird!
Ingrid

Picturit: Yes these birds are kind of stupid don't you think....and fast as the wind...BUT...I will recognize it when I see him again....
Astrid.

What a wonderful shot. How did you get him to stay still while you wrote on his tail feather??

Picturit: Paul, I just told him the story of my life, he was so impressed that he never knew what hit him....
Astrid.

You are a lady of many talents Astrid including being a game hunter, I bet this guy never even knew you were their. Well taken. Brian.

Picturit: Thanks Brian, I was so lucky here, this is one in a life time shot.
Astrid.

great capture Astrid he looks about as aware that your there as that linesman was of Nistelroy been offside

Picturit: I am so sorry to tell tell you he was NOT offside, there was a defender lying on the ground next to the goal, a defender can never withdraw from the game....so van Nistelrooy was never offside, an international referee explained it on out TV yesterday....wow...I paid attention and I am so glad I could tell you.....thank you for your kinds words though...
Astrid

Superb capture Astrid. Not an easy image to get. The DOF looks very good first class well done.

Picturit: It was very difficult to capture this quick fella...BUT I am happy I could, my next wish......the lightning-flash of the thunder.....
Astrid.

Wow! Good capture!