# Photography is for the birds! :)



## Hearts of Gold

Dove!


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## Hearts of Gold

Found one more!


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## tobysmommy

Lovely shots! I've been stalking Hummingbirds the last few days. Unfortunately, I have a "bully" in my yard - a male Ruby-throated who chases off all others. But occasionally, the rest sneak in for a quick feed.


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## lynn1970

My name is Lynn and I'm a birder. Wow, I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Seriously, I have taken a great interest in birds in the last ten years or so. You are right about some of the more common birds being fascinating once you really look at them. The male house finch is one of my favorites. They are very common around here but people very rarely notice that they look like they have been dipped in strawberry jam!


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## lynn1970

Very nice shots, you guys!


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## Hearts of Gold

Finch's


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## lynn1970

Gorgeous pictures of the finches. Thanks for sharing!


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## tobysmommy

lynn1970 said:


> My name is Lynn and I'm a birder.


LOL! I wonder if there's a 12-step program for us? 



lynn1970 said:


> The male house finch is one of my favorites. They are very common around here but people very rarely notice that they look like they have been dipped in strawberry jam!


So true! I hadn't thought of it that way before, but that's exactly what they look like! Two common birds that blew me away the first time I really looked at them, were the White-throated and the White-crowned sparrows. They look like court jesters with their striped crowns. So pretty!


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## DNL2448

I've been know to take a shot or two...


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## rik6230

Woww.. great photo's


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## cgriffin

I am also a bird enthusiast, but not good with pictures, lol. 
I have four bird feeders out all year round and in the summer I have five hummingbird feeders hanging up. Right now, the hummingbird activity is at it's peak. We only have the ruby throated hummingbird in our area though. 
Yesterday, I made the mistake to walk into the hummingbird flight path and had one buzzing in my hair, lol. I love these little guys. 
When I take their feeders down to refill, they will swarm around me, as if they want me to hurry up with it. 
Every August we have a hummingbird festival in Land Between The Lakes, pretty cool. But, I think I have my own hummingbird festival in my yard, lol. 
Our all year round feeding birds are cardinals, American gold finch, house finch, purple finch, all types of sparrows, mourning doves, tufted titmice, three types of woodpeckers, blue jays, robins, bluebirds, nuthatches and so on.


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## missmarstar

Love sitting in the backyard watching birds. Never seem to have my camera handy though when I do haha

Here's one I took a couple years ago


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## tobysmommy

Those are beautiful shots, all of them! Lovely!
I find I've got a "bucket list" in my head, of birds I'd like to get in the lens. Slowly, one by one, I'm crossing them off, but then there is always another species or the hunt for a better shot...


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## Ninde'Gold

Mine sucks... hahah










I was actually several hundred feet away from this crow with a point and shoot.


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## rik6230

The Gyps Vulvus with a 300mm f2.8 (He just missed my face.:doh 
It was on a bird show.)


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## FeatherRiverSam

I'll admit I have a tough time passing up the opportunity...





















Stunning shots everyone!!!

Pete


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## GoldenCamper

Ninde'Gold said:


> Mine sucks... hahah


Thank you for the laugh. Love all these photos but yours is special  I have one just like it :


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## Otter

I used to be one of those people. I am trying to cut back though...
btw, I don't know if you are shooting Nikon or not (no FxIF data in your images) but NikonCafe.com has an awesome sub forum for bird photography. There are some awesome Canon shooters there too.

Here are a few of my bird shots.

#1









#2









#3









#4









#5









#6









#7









#8









#9


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## GoldenCamper

Love this one Otter. Have taken many of the Blue Herons but can't come close to this, love the back lighting, very nice!


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## FeatherRiverSam

Wonderful shots Otter. I think #3 is my favorite...











But #6 is what I'm after!!! And one of these days I know I'm going to get him!!!

Pete


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## Otter

GoldenCamper said:


> Love this one Otter. Have taken many of the Blue Herons but can't come close to this, love the back lighting, very nice!





FeatherRiverSam said:


> Wonderful shots Otter. I think #3 is my favorite...
> 
> But #6 is what I'm after!!! And one of these days I know I'm going to get him!!!
> Pete


Thanks! There are several great bird shots in tobysmommy's thread.
Let's see more!


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## tippykayak

Wow guys, I thought I had some good bird pics, but you really have some incredible shots here.

I've been taking bird photos for the past few years and blogging about them (along with dog photos and other nature photos). I'm sharing a couple from this past year in relatively small resolution so they fit into the thread better. However, each is linked to its blog entry at my photoblog, so if you want to see a bigger version, you can click it, which takes you to the post where you can click for larger sizes (and typically, other photos from that day).

Sandhill Crane. Blog entry: Captivity



Glossy Ibis. Blog entry: Aim Your Fish Into the Wind



Osprey. Blog entry: Aim Your Fish Into the Wind



Common Tern. Blog entry: A Short Jaunt on the East River



Brown Pelican. Blog entry: Roatán



Turkey Vulture. Blog entry: Vulture


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## tippykayak

PS - If you wanted to see just the bird photos on my blog, you can use the label "birds" to just show bird-related posts.


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## CAROLINA MOM

Gorgeous bird photos everyone, thanks so much for sharing.


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## Karen519

*Beautiful*

Beautiful pictures!!


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## Ninde'Gold

I have this one too... this guy scared the crap outta me and I thought he was going to attack.


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## Wendy427

amazing, beautiful pictures!!


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## tobysmommy

Beautiful shots, everyone! Wow! :appl:


Otter said:


> btw, I don't know if you are shooting Nikon or not (no FxIF data in your images) but NikonCafe.com has an awesome sub forum for bird photography. There are some awesome Canon shooters there too.


Personally, I shoot Canon. On occasion, I visit POTN's Bird forum to drool over the photos posted there. I'll have to check out the Nikon site, too. Thank you for the link, Joe!

And Brian, thank you for the link to your blog. Now I know where I'll be spending my time this afternoon! 



Otter said:


> There are several great bird shots in tobysmommy's thread.
> Let's see more!



Well, alright then. Twist my rubber arm. :curtain:








Chipping Sparrow







Osprey







American Goldfinch







Bald Eagle Juvenile







Mallard Duck







Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)







Ruffed Grouse







American Bittern







Chickadee







Blue Jay







Dark-Eyed Junco







White-Crowned Sparrow


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## FeatherRiverSam

tobysmommy said:


> Beautiful shots, everyone! Wow! :appl:
> 
> Personally, I shoot Canon. On occasion, I visit POTN's Bird forum to drool over the photos posted there. I'll have to check out the Nikon site, too. Thank you for the link, Joe!
> 
> And Brian, thank you for the link to your blog. Now I know where I'll be spending my time this afternoon!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, alright then. Twist my rubber arm. :curtain:
> 
> View attachment 118523
> 
> Chipping Sparrow
> View attachment 118524
> 
> Osprey
> View attachment 118525
> 
> American Goldfinch
> View attachment 118526
> 
> Bald Eagle Juvenile
> View attachment 118527
> 
> Mallard Duck
> View attachment 118528
> 
> Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
> View attachment 118529
> 
> Ruffed Grouse
> View attachment 118530
> 
> American Bittern
> View attachment 118531
> 
> Chickadee
> View attachment 118532
> 
> Blue Jay
> View attachment 118534
> 
> Dark-Eyed Junco
> View attachment 118535
> 
> White-Crowned Sparrow


Wow!!!

What wonderful shots!!!

Pete


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## GoldenCamper

tobysmommy said:


> Well, alright then. Twist my rubber arm. :curtain:


Those are some exceptional shots, nice! Love the Flicker and Bittern.


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## GoldenCamper

Ninde'Gold said:


> I have this one too... this guy scared the crap outta me and I thought he was going to attack.


Someone raise Emu's up your way?


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## Otter

FeatherRiverSam said:


> Wow!!!
> 
> What wonderful shots!!!
> 
> Pete


*+1*
Very nice.


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## tobysmommy

Thank you all. Ken, the Flicker and the Bittern have a special place in my heart, too, because they're both so skittish and difficult to get. I got lucky and stumbled upon the Bittern - and I was just as surprised as he was! I was able to creep up within 4 feet of him before he took off. The Flickers were a bit of work and required a hunting blind and stealth mode to get close. It's like they see you coming before you leave the house! I must say, I'm loving every minute of this hobby. I only wish I had more time for it, but work and the Toblerone come first, of course.

Now let's see some more feathered friends - I just know there are more birders hiding here!


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## Otter

*Count the birds...*

Another bird shot. This was at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River (in Cleveland) a couple winters ago.

Now, tell me how many birds you count. 1, 2, 3, 4...











Give up? Ok, maybe it will be easier to count these...


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## tobysmommy

2733!   Great shots, Joe!


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## Otter

tobysmommy said:


> 2733!


Serious? Nope. Try again.

 Thanks.


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## DNL2448

My first hummer taken just today...


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## ace

Lots of great pics! 
Consider posting some on my new site 

The Photo Walls
_link removed_


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## tobysmommy

Great shot, Laura!


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## Enzos_Mom

I like to take pictures of the swan that hangs out in the lake behind my uncle's house. 


DSC_6171 by SLampear88, on Flickr


DSC_6182 by SLampear88, on Flickr


DSC_6158 by SLampear88, on Flickr


DSC_6131 by SLampear88, on Flickr


DSC_6118 by SLampear88, on Flickr


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## buzdean

love watching the birds in the backyard--sure are some good photographers here


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## Hearts of Gold

*Red-Breasted Nuthatch*

Red-Breasted Nuthatch on a Safflower Snowman feeder.

#1










#2


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## tobysmommy

Beautiful shots, Graham!


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## MyLady Heidi

Purely bird photography was my thing before I got my golden retriever puppies.


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## tobysmommy

Great photos! Thank you for sharing!


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## FeatherRiverSam

I was in Sacramento this past weekend and got this shot of a Mourning Dove I thought I'd share...


A74A4004 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

Pete & Woody


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## Goldens R Great

What a beautiful photo!


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## Otter

Great shot Pete.


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## tobysmommy

Lovely shot, Pete! I love Mourning Doves.


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## FeatherRiverSam

I finally got up the humming bird feeders and for a while I thought maybe I had the mixture wrong...no birds...

A74A4585 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

Was it 4 parts water one part vinegar or sugar... But finally this little guy showed up and made my day

A74A4586 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

A tighter shot when he returned...

A74A4573 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

I had one bird sitting on the top branches of some aspen I have growing in my yard. I tried to get as clear a shot as I could but the limbs were always in the way and he was at least 50ft up.


A74A4566 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

He was very patient as I painstakingly tried different angles. This was the best shot I could put together...

A74A4563 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

Any ideas on what kind of bird this is...I'm thinking maybe a dove?

We had our usual, noisy Stellar Jays all over the place...

A74A4589 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

And of course the Robins always out looking for food...

A74A4597 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

That Robin's red breast made me think of Woody so I thought I'd throw this shot in...

A74A4606 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

Thanks for having a look...

Pete & Woody


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## tobysmommy

Nice shots, Pete! I confess to slight twinges of jealousy over your hummer - we're nowhere near hummingbird weather here. As for your mystery bird, it's difficult to tell, but I think it might be either a Gray Jay or a Clark's Nutcracker.


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## FeatherRiverSam

tobysmommy said:


> Nice shots, Pete! I confess to slight twinges of jealousy over your hummer - we're nowhere near hummingbird weather here. As for your mystery bird, it's difficult to tell, but I think it might be either a Gray Jay or a Clark's Nutcracker.


I think we've got an ID on the mystery bird...a friend stopped by who's pretty good with birds and saw it out in the aspens. He said it's a female Black-Headed Grosbeak.


A74A4563 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr


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## Otter

*Yellow Warbler taking a bath.*









*Chickadee doing the same.*









*I think this is a White Crowned Sparrow opposed to a White Throated Sparrow.*


















Not only did I come home yesterday with some bird pics, but I also brought home some ticks. Can't believe had bad ticks are already this year. Everybody is talking about them. Amazing.


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## tobysmommy

Great shots, Joe! I've got crowds of White-crowned Sparrows here, too. The White-throateds haven't arrived yet.


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## rik6230

Great pictures 

Young sparrows. Just before flying out  Nikkor 400mm f2.8


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## tobysmommy

Nice shot, Rik! Amazing, that little crevasses that serve as a location for birds' nests!


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## FeatherRiverSam

I was talking to a friend and noticed this juvenile Robin hanging onto the tree behind him...just happened to have my camera in hand...


A74A5491 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

I saw this White-Headed Woodpecker on a tree just off my deck and he decided to hang out so I could get off a shot. Apparently he's the only white headed woodpecker and the only North American bird with a white head & black body. Quite the celebrity. 


A74A5621 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

Pete & Woody


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## tobysmommy

Great shots, Pete!


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## MyBuddy22

beautiful pictures!


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## Otter

Here's a couple recent bird shots...

#1 Eastern Phoebe?









#2 Eastern Phoebe?









#3 Chickadee-dee-dee









#4 Eastern Bluebird









#5 Bald Eagle









I've been trying for a couple years to find/see these local Bald Eagles. The day I got this shot, I went there thinking that once again I will not see them. So, I didn't take the right camera/lens combo. As my luck would have it, this one was there - flew right past me! This one was across the river and down a ways. Too far really for the camera and lens I had with me. Oh well. I've been back to this spot where "they are often here" and have yet to see them again! Once of these times, they'll be there and I will have the right lens/camera with me...


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## FeatherRiverSam

Great shots Joe...I just got back from the lake and ran into the same situation...didn't have the right lens with me. Mine was a pair of ospreys hovering over a tree top nest I discovered. But I've got it marked and will be back with the right lens!

Pete & Woody


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## FeatherRiverSam

I finally got around to cleaning my humming bird feeders...one was filled with ants and the other was filled with earwigs.

I've been sitting on my deck, without camera, enjoying the early evening. I'd forgot what a battle it is for these little guys to actually get to the feeder. I must have six or seven humming birds trying to claim the two feeders I've got up. They come from seemingly eight different directions fighting over the feeders. I don't think one has landed yet to enjoy the sweet water filled feeder.

For such little guys they're sure competitive!

On another entirely different note I was out at the lake yesterday and got a very, very poor shot of a bird I've been unable to identify. The colors were off the chart...I have a feeling he may have been a grosbeak of some kind but my bird book didn't show any grosbeaks with this unusual coloring...any ideas???

For reference purposes I was at about 5600' in the Sierra Nevada mountains...


A74A5941 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr


A74A5942 by StillWaterGold, on Flickr

Pete & Woody


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## tobysmommy

Joe, those are great shots. That does, indeed, look like an Eastern Phoebe. As for the BEs, that's Murphy's Law of Birding, I think. It seems that when I'm prepared and out with my long lenses, there are no birds of interest to be found. When I haven't got my camera, or I'm driving or otherwise unprepared, I see all kinds of winged friends. C'est la vie. I hope you find those eagles some day when you've got the right lens with you. 

Pete, that's a male Western Tanager. Lovely find! I'm changing/cleaning my Hummingbird feeders every couple of days, but I'm mostly attracting wasps. I've only got one male and one female Ruby-throated coming so far this year - far less than last year.

Having said that, I have had some nice visitors recently.
Evening Grosbeak, male:








Evening Grosbeak, female:








Baltimore Oriole, male:








Red-bellied Woodpecker, male:








Red-breasted Nuthatch, male:








Red-eyed Vireo:








American Goldfinch, male:


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## Otter

tobysmommy, great great shots!
Grosbeaks aren't very common here in the burbs of Cleveland - at least for me... Once in a blue moon, I see a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

You guys have all the purdy birds.


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## mddolson

*Wow!*

I'm not a birder, I'm a diver. One does not have to be a birder to see these shots are incredible! WOW!

The best I can offer is this. 
Not a bird, but at least they have wings!

Mike D


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## Otter

Beautiful animal Mike D. Thanks for sharing.

I wish I had some of the images and video my dad used to take when I/we were diving shipwrecks...


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## tobysmommy

I love the Humpbacks, Mike. Great shot! I had the pleasure of seeing and diving with them a couple of years ago, and they are truly amazing.


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## mddolson

*Humpbacks*

A very lucky shot.
That was taken several years ago just off the east side of Dominican Republic. We had finished our first dive & had stopped for lunch & to off gas for an hour or so. We were snorkeling along the reef drop off. I was drifting toward the surface from 50 ft. I just turned around & there they were. At first I froze in awe, then I remembered the camera housing in my hands (DUH!) The camera was set on automatic so I took about a dozen shots before they were too far away. This is the only shot really good enough to share.

MikeD:smooch:


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## Barkr

*Barred Owl*

Barred Owl at dusk in my back garden


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## Hearts of Gold

Pileated Woodpecker times two,

Bit of a heavy crop.


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## FeatherRiverSam

tobysmommy said:


> Those are beautiful shots, all of them! Lovely!
> I find I've got a "bucket list" in my head, of birds I'd like to get in the lens. Slowly, one by one, I'm crossing them off, but then there is always another species or the hunt for a better shot...



Tobysmommy what's left on that bucket list of yours? Seems like you've done a pretty good job of covering all the bases with some pretty amazing shots.

A few questions for you birders...

Is there a particular lens you prefer to shoot?

Do you wear camo?

Do you find a particular time of the day is more productive?

Would you say your better shots were meticulously planned or just happen-stance?

All of your pictures are nothing short of wonderful! Thanks for sharing. 

And Otter, Joe, I'm still after that heron shot...your's was truly inspirational.


Pete & Woody


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## tobysmommy

FeatherRiverSam said:


> Tobysmommy what's left on that bucket list of yours? Seems like you've done a pretty good job of covering all the bases with some pretty amazing shots.


Thank you, Pete, but there is lots of stuff on that list! I have yet to get a really satisfying shot of an American Kestrel. I've come across many of them, got the lens on a few, but they're small and quite skittish, so the shots I've gotten haven't been great. A Great Horned owl in the wild is on there (got some of one at a sanctuary), and I'm always out for more Snowy owl shots, too. I'd love to find a Burrowing Owl some day (though I'd have to travel west again for that). Raptors in general are always welcome. Then there are the dadgurned elusive Belted Kingfishers who have never been kind enough to give me a good photo opp. Oh, and the Woodies of this world! Yep, I've done Flickers, Sapsuckers, Hairies, Downies and a Red-bellied, but only a few so-so shots of a female Pileated, and never even laid eyes on a Red-headed or American Three-toed, etc. Shore and water birds are another whole area with huge gaping holes. It seems that for every bird I get to shoot, there are at least three more I miss. But it's a great and thrilling "hunt".



FeatherRiverSam said:


> A few questions for you birders...
> 
> Is there a particular lens you prefer to shoot?


Well, my mainstay for the last year has been the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM, because it's hard to beat the image quality this lens renders. Drawback was a lack of reach and "over-reach" at the same time. That's the trouble with primes - you've got what you've got. I recently added the Σ OS 50-500mm f/4-6.3 APO DG OS HSM, a.k.a. "Bigma". With my 7D's crop factor, it gives me the equivalent of 800mm at the long end, but the zoom provides the flexibility for very large birds or if one comes in closer than expected. The IQ isn't at the level of the 400/5.6L, but good. Now I'll use either one, depending on the situation.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Do you wear camo?


Sometimes, yes. I also have a hunting blind and camo net fabric that I'll use as needed.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Do you find a particular time of the day is more productive?


Definitely! Early morning and late afternoon/early evening. Birds tend to be most active feeding at these times, and the light is sweeter as well.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Would you say your better shots were meticulously planned or just happen-stance?


Both for me. I've spent much time planning shots and come up empty only to get a nice shot by chance, but I've also set up shots in frequented areas I had staked out, and gotten some nice results. It's definitely worth getting to know the spots where your local birds hang out (and when), and choosing a good vantage point in terms of lighting, framing, etc. I've got to warn you, though: this hobby can become an obsession very quickly! 

Happy birding, Pete!


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## FeatherRiverSam

tobysmommy said:


> Well, my mainstay for the last year has been the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM, because it's hard to beat the image quality this lens renders. Drawback was a lack of reach and "over-reach" at the same time. That's the trouble with primes - you've got what you've got. I recently added the Σ OS 50-500mm f/4-6.3 APO DG OS HSM, a.k.a. "Bigma". With my 7D's crop factor, it gives me the equivalent of 800mm at the long end, but the zoom provides the flexibility for very large birds or if one comes in closer than expected. The IQ isn't at the level of the 400/5.6L, but good. Now I'll use either one, depending on the situation.
> !


Thank you Vivien...that's a lot of information. Now about that Sigma lens...50-500mm...do you have any pictures you'd like to share? Lord knows I don't need another lens but then if it's going to give me that extra reach and I don't have to hire someone to hold it for me I'd be interested...

We have a program through the local Audubon Society trying to save the Burrowing Owl. I've been meaning to look into it as owls have always intrigued me. They included this video clip along with their other information...you can't help but smile while viewing it.






Pete & Woody


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## soxOZ

Not a big one on shooting... Err should I change that to photographing birds...
This is one I took from our front yard as it was feeding on insects on the blossoms, Ah, spring is here..!!!.

I sure it's a "_Minor_" bird (some spell it "_Myna_")...

Nikon D300 & 70-300VRII


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## tippykayak

FeatherRiverSam said:


> Is there a particular lens you prefer to shoot?


I shoot birds almost exclusively with my Canon EF 100-400mm. I don't have a lens with more "zoom" than that. Before I got it, I used to use a Canon 75-300mm. The 100-400 is an extraordinary lens, quite flexible for shooting birds of different sizes and different distances from you, but still produces amazing image quality.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Do you wear camo?


Never. I rarely go out with the intent of solely photographing birds. Usually I'm just bringing the camera along while I hike or kayak.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Do you find a particular time of the day is more productive?


It depends. Early morning tends to bring with it lots of bird activity, but depending on species, some birds might be highly active at other times of day. For example, some of my better Osprey shots come from when the sun is high in the sky and they are actively fishing. I find the best lighting for action shots tends to be during the brightest parts of the day, while the best lighting for more artsy shots of perched birds tends to be in the hour or two after sunrise or before sunset.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Would you say your better shots were meticulously planned or just happen-stance?


My best stuff is the product of being in the right place at the right time. I'm out there a lot with the camera, so I have more opportunities to get lucky with behavior or lighting.

Barn Swallows and Bow Rudders:


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## FeatherRiverSam

tippykayak said:


> I shoot birds almost exclusively with my Canon EF 100-400mm. I don't have a lens with more "zoom" than that. Before I got it, I used to use a Canon 75-300mm. The 100-400 is an extraordinary lens, quite flexible for shooting birds of different sizes and different distances from you, but still produces amazing image quality.
> 
> 
> 
> Never. I rarely go out with the intent of solely photographing birds. Usually I'm just bringing the camera along while I hike or kayak.
> 
> 
> 
> It depends. Early morning tends to bring with it lots of bird activity, but depending on species, some birds might be highly active at other times of day. For example, some of my better Osprey shots come from when the sun is high in the sky and they are actively fishing. I find the best lighting for action shots tends to be during the brightest parts of the day, while the best lighting for more artsy shots of perched birds tends to be in the hour or two after sunrise or before sunset.
> 
> 
> 
> My best stuff is the product of being in the right place at the right time. I'm out there a lot with the camera, so I have more opportunities to get lucky with behavior or lighting.
> 
> Barn Swallows and Bow Rudders:


Beautiful shots Brian, referring to your blog as well. I've been shooting the Canon 70-300mm with a 1.4 extender on a full frame. I'm very happy with the IQ and the versatility of the zoom but felt there were to many times I just didn't have the reach. So I picked up the Canon 400mm prime after reading many excellent reviews and seeing tobysmommy's pictures posted here.

I'm very pleased with the 400mm IQ but must admit I do miss the focal range offered with the zoom. I'm currently looking at the 100-400mm and playing with the idea of picking one up. I think the 100-400mm would give me the range I'm looking for which includes shooting Woody running around. I'm hoping to see some shots taken by Vivien with her "Bigma" before I take the leap.

Like you I don't go out often with the sole intent of shooting birds, usually fishing is my primary motive. But it's hard to pass up the opportunity to shoot them when they're so close at hand.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions...hopefully we'll hear from others as well.

Pete & Woody


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## tobysmommy

Wally, that's a lovely shot of the Minor bird!
And Brian, I have serious swallow envy now. That's a gorgeous shot!
Pete, thank you for the burrowing owl video. That was so precious! I just love owls.
Here are a few shots taken with the Bigma. As I said, the IQ isn't in the same league as the 400/5.6L, but it's pretty good. Slight loss of detail in the highlights, perhaps.


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## FeatherRiverSam

tobysmommy said:


> Wally, that's a lovely shot of the Minor bird!
> And Brian, I have serious swallow envy now. That's a gorgeous shot!
> Pete, thank you for the burrowing owl video. That was so precious! I just love owls.
> Here are a few shots taken with the Bigma. As I said, the IQ isn't in the same league as the 400/5.6L, but it's pretty good. Slight loss of detail in the highlights, perhaps.


Those look pretty darn good to me Vivien. Love the shots of Toby. And the fox...fantastic. Thank you.


Pete & Woody


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## tippykayak

tobysmommy said:


> And Brian, I have serious swallow envy now. That's a gorgeous shot!


It's only fair that you have a little envy, because I am seriously envy of many, many of your shots. And thanks!


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## Otter

FeatherRiverSam said:


> Is there a particular lens you prefer to shoot?


When I go out to shoot birds, I use a tripod, 300 AF-S 2.8 w/tele-extender. I normally use my D300. Rarely use the D700 for birds. Love D300 & 300mm combo.

The fall migration is in full swing right now. Due to lots going on, I haven't been out to see any of them. We are lucky here on the South Coast of Lake Erie as it is a major migration path; they just drop out of the sky... 

I sometimes think about selling this lens because I don't use it all that often anymore. Can't get myself to do it though.




FeatherRiverSam said:


> Do you wear camo?


Yes. Sometimes. It does help. If not camo, at least drab clothing. I also sometimes use a small duck hunting blind. That's also very useful, but I only use that when I have lots of time to kill.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Do you find a particular time of the day is more productive?


Morning and late afternoon/evening for sure. Mid day is usually a waste of time. Light stinks too.

I also say shooting birds is analogous to fishing; sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don't.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> Would you say your better shots were meticulously planned or just happen-stance?


I would say most often happen-stance. Again, like fishing, if I happen to be where the fish are, I might get lucky.



FeatherRiverSam said:


> And Otter, Joe, I'm still after that heron shot...your's was truly inspirational.


Ha ha, thanks Pete. Herons are one bird I have way too many pictures of. They are almost as common as pigeons around here.

Bucket list - there are tons of birds I would love to take nice pictures of (so they can sit on my hard drive and never be seen again  ). I really like the smaller songbirds and so on. But two I have been trying to get really nice shots of are a King Fisher, and Bald Eagle. King Fishers see you way way before you see or hear them and they don't like their picture being taken!

Pileated Woodpecker would be nice too. I've only seen one of those maybe twice here in the Cleveland suburbs. I like Hearts of Gold picture he posted too.

You all have posted some really nice birds pics here. Very nice.

ETA some bird images...

More Herons for Pete




































A challenge - Count the gulls! 
(this was taken at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River)









I asked him to smile for the camera, and he said "aw, get outta here" 









Tree swallow









A cute Red Head


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## FeatherRiverSam

Your killing me Joe with all these beautiful heron pictures. We definately have them up this way but boy are they hard to get pictures of...nine times out of ten they're off & flying before I even know they're there!

I'm reminded of a beautiful spring creek up in Oregon with trout the size of your leg. But they're so spooky, like our herons down here, the on going joke was the minute you open your car door they scatter never to be seen again.

The Bald Eagle is also on my bucket list and one picture in particular. I've probably seen it four or five times over many, many years of fishing. Where a Osprey will take a fish, head back to it's nest only to be over taken by a Bald Eagle mid flight. The Eagle will knock the fish loose from the Osprey and then grab the fish midair well before it hits the water.

We do have the Kingfisher up this way and I've seen several on the rivers I fish but I always seem to have a fly rod in hand or a leash instead of a camera. I think Mother Nature has a sense of humor when it comes to shooting birds camera or duck hunting. I can't begin to tell you the number of ducks I've seen out on the river while fly fishing...but put down the fly rod and pick up a shot gun...not a duck to be seen anywhere! The same seems to be true of filming birds.

Thanks for your input Joe...hopefully you'll get all those birds on your list and share them with us before you bury them in your hard drive.


Pete & Woody


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## Neeko13

Awesome pics from everyone, esp. Otters....
Here are some of mine.....















































































Ooops, sorry not a bird, but a nursing groundhog...


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## Neeko13

And some more.....


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## FeatherRiverSam

Nancie your pictures are beautiful. You certainly have an eye for composing your images. The forth one down in your first set looks like the perfect Christmas card. I tried to attach it but was unable. Thanks for sharing.

Pete & Woody


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## Neeko13

FeatherRiverSam said:


> Nancie your pictures are beautiful. You certainly have an eye for composing your images. The forth one down in your first set looks like the perfect Christmas card. I tried to attach it but was unable. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> 
> 
> Pete & Woody


Thanks Pete.....it took me a week to find that pic....I knew I had it, but couldnt figure out which folder it was in :doh:


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## Otter

*I shot a Snowy Owl*

With the Snowy Owl invasion going on, we (along the Lake Erie shore) have been seeing lots of Snowy Owls. Google "Snowy Owl invasion".

It happens every few years. Anyway, there are quite a few hanging around the Cleveland area. The parks along the shore, the marinas, and the airports are good places to see them. I am on the Ohio Birders list server email along with an Ohio Birders FaceBook page and updates come across a lot of times letting people know where they are.

It's speculated these owls come this far south (they've been seen as far south as Bermuda) looking for food. They say they are stressed and starving and people should stay far away from them. They are typically the youngest or oldest birds that can't fight well for food.

It was mid 60's yesterday so I went to a marina in Downtown Cleveland and found this guy. He (or she?) was pretty far away and the wind was blowing off the lake really hard. Couldn't hold my tripod still so these aren't very sharp.

This was the first time I had seen a snowy owl in the wild. What a beautiful bird.




























When I shoot birds I use either the D700 or D300 with a 300 f2.8 AF-s Nikkor lens. These were shot with the D300.


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## tippykayak

Wow, jealous of your Snowy sighting! Great pictures too.


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## Bentleysmom

We found a thread that interests Mike! He's going to be looking through these bird pics while I bake. Thank you!!


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## Max's Dad

Beautiful shots. Thanks for sharing.


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## FeatherRiverSam

Bentleysmom said:


> We found a thread that interests Mike! He's going to be looking through these bird pics while I bake. Thank you!!


That's great Joyce...we've got some outstanding photographers here on the forum. Whatcha baking?

Joe your shots of the Snowy Owl are wonderful...what a beautiful bird.

Pete & Woody


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## mddolson

*Blue Jays after the storm*

We've had several days of freezing rain, followed by a week of sub-zero temperatures. We put some peanuts out this morning. The blue jays & squirrels didn't waste any time stocking up.

Mike D


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## Caesar's Buddy

I am an ex-professional photographer, portraiture, sports, land and sea scape etc... Just wanted to say "my complements on the photos", they are very well done!

Pat


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## Otter

It's been a year since this thread has been updated. Thought I would add to it a little.

One of the nice things about living in Cleveland, Ohio is that we are directly in the path of neo-tropical bird migration in the Spring and Fall as these little migrant Warblers and so on move from the Southern states, Mexico, South America and so on up to Canada in the Spring and back South in the Fall.

In the Spring, these migrants follow the southern winds up North. Sometimes a cold front will cause the winds to come out of the North for a few days. This causes the little migrants to stall and hang out near the Lake Erie shore line for a few days to refuel before heading across the lake into Canada. They call this "fall out"; it's like they are literally just falling out of the sky. It is an incredible event. It lasts for a couple weeks. 

When these birds gather in the numerous parks and back yards along the lake, the trees and bushes are crawling with dozens of types of Warblers and other colorful birds from the tropics. I often get Kinglets by the dozens in my backyard. Sometimes more special birds. Last night we had an American Redstart, beautiful little orange black Warbler. No camera near by though.

Last Monday I had the chance to go to a park in Downtown Cleveland called Wendy Park. It's a local birding hot spot. Warblers were there in huge numbers. Here are just a few pictures. It was really really windy and even with a tripod, I was having a hard time keeping the camera still so these aren't really the best photos... Plus, the little Warblers move around so fast it's hard to get a good picture (for me anyway).

Feel free to correct my ID's if I'm wrong. 

Eastern Phoebe (I think)









Magnolia Warbler









Magnolia Warbler









White Crowned Sparrow









Another White Crowned Sparrow









Palm Warbler maybe. Really don't know. It was really pretty far away. This is cropped a lot.









Think this is also a Palm Warbler.









Baltimore Oriole - common summer bird here. Pretty none the less.









Killdeer. Another common summer bird here.









Yellow-rumped Warbler.









Yellow-rumped Warbler.









Yellow-rumped Warbler.









Yellow-rumped Warbler.









Yellow-rumped Warbler.









Hermit Thrush maybe?









White-eyed Vireo









White-eyed Vireo









Thanks for looking.


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## Melfice

WOW I love your pictures of the birds!!! This is a hobby I always wanted to start doing, but I have not put much time into it yet. I plan on doing so, but my pups and our training takes a lot of our free time.

One day tho! One day I'll be taking amazing pictures too


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## rik6230

Otter said:


> It's been a year since this thread has been updated. Thought I would add to it a little.
> 
> One of the nice things about living in Cleveland, Ohio is that we are directly in the path of neo-tropical bird migration in the Spring and Fall as these little migrant Warblers and so on move from the Southern states, Mexico, South America and so on up to Canada in the Spring and back South in the Fall.
> 
> In the Spring, these migrants follow the southern winds up North. Sometimes a cold front will cause the winds to come out of the North for a few days. This causes the little migrants to stall and hang out near the Lake Erie shore line for a few days to refuel before heading across the lake into Canada. They call this "fall out"; it's like they are literally just falling out of the sky. It is an incredible event. It lasts for a couple weeks.
> 
> When these birds gather in the numerous parks and back yards along the lake, the trees and bushes are crawling with dozens of types of Warblers and other colorful birds from the tropics. I often get Kinglets by the dozens in my backyard. Sometimes more special birds. Last night we had an American Redstart, beautiful little orange black Warbler. No camera near by though.
> 
> Last Monday I had the chance to go to a park in Downtown Cleveland called Wendy Park. It's a local birding hot spot. Warblers were there in huge numbers. Here are just a few pictures. It was really really windy and even with a tripod, I was having a hard time keeping the camera still so these aren't really the best photos... Plus, the little Warblers move around so fast it's hard to get a good picture (for me anyway).
> 
> Feel free to correct my ID's if I'm wrong.
> 
> 
> Thanks for looking.



Beautiful photos !


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## mddolson

Nice, 
Always love your pictures Joe.
Wish I had your eye.
Thanks for sharing

Mike D


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## jagmanbrg

We went to the zoo recently and I snapped a few


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## CAROLINA MOM

Beautiful pictures all, thanks for sharing!
It's great to see this thread revived.


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## Wendy427

beautiful photos!


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## rik6230

Woodpecker Iso 800, 800mm f 7.1 exposure 1/250



Robin iso 2000, 800mm f6.3 exposure 1/160








[/URL]

I don't how you call this little bird. Here in the Netherlands it is a "black Head" :doh male) Silvia atricapilla

Iso 800, 800mm f6.3 exposure 1/500



The Iso performance of the Nikon d4 is really incredibly !


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## Otter

Nice Rik. Really like that Robin. Pretty bird.


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## rik6230

Thanks Joe


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