Little birds pt 3

I've been reading a lot recently that the 'best' way to get bird shots is using Back Button focusing, BBF, now I've never used it before, so thought I'd give it a go. set some buttons on the back of the R6 Af-on to spot focus and the * button to switch to eye-Af. I had been struggling, or the camera has :) to get locked on to birds, mainly when there's not much contrast or when you really need to pin point the focus due to branches etc. which is understandable really. So apart from a few seagulls and crows there didn't seem to be much flying today. So after 1:30 decided to trudge back to the car, another 30 minutes walking, and I passed someone by the river bank, we've just been watching a kingfisher for 10 minutes by a pond 200 yards along the river, before it flew off! Typical I thought.
Anyway found the pond and showered the vicinity and spotted it, sorted my thumb out pressing the BBF and switching to eye AF, I need some practice. And managed to get a few pics.
R6 RF100-500 1/400s, iso 2500, F8 at 500mm and a bit of a crop.
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Had a walk around Balgavies for the first time in a couple of years, saw the ospreys but not close enough for a decent photo at 300mm, right at as I was getting back in the car this little Chaffinch landed very close and seemed to be posing for photos.





Not sure if a coot qualifies as small but it was nesting worryingly close to the path, given the disappointing amount of dog crap around the loch path I am concerned a dog off its lead could be bad for this bird.

 
Dusted off the 600mm f4 this weekend, checking back through my lightroom catalogue the metadata reveals I last used it 13 months ago. However saying that I've barely used any of my camera gear at all.

The only reason I took it out on Saturday was because the weekend before I found a Spotted flycatcher in a churchyard when sat eating a packed lunch in the sunshine, so hoped the weather would brighten up and offer the chance of a quick repeat showing.



Spotted Flycatcher
by GaseousClay1, on Flickr


Spotted Flycatcher
by GaseousClay1, on Flickr
 
Both stunning but the first is worthy of a nature mag shot Martin!
Love the single spider thread which would obviously be edited out lol
 
I'd love that 600. Saying that I'm still looking through boxes trying to find where my camera stuff is; been years lol

Oh well. Keep at it; brilliant pictures :thumbsup:
 
As above the first is rather special. In theory I'd love a 600mm f4 but the weight puts me off. Not that I can afford one anyway :laugh:
 
Thanks Toby. :smashin:

Yeah the weight is an issue, especially with limited mobility, one of the main reasons I've not been taking it out lately. When covid hit the local nature reserves locked down and getting to other places needed a new logistical plan, the carrying distance of this lens was too great so at home it remained.

and the price... yeah it almost gives me a nose bleed when I think how much it cost, but I'm glad I did when I did. The mk2, which I have, rocketed in price after brexit, and the new mk3 is near on 50% more than I paid for mine.
 
Thanks Toby. :smashin:

Yeah the weight is an issue, especially with limited mobility, one of the main reasons I've not been taking it out lately. When covid hit the local nature reserves locked down and getting to other places needed a new logistical plan, the carrying distance of this lens was too great so at home it remained.

and the price... yeah it almost gives me a nose bleed when I think how much it cost, but I'm glad I did when I did. The mk2, which I have, rocketed in price after brexit, and the new mk3 is near on 50% more than I paid for mine.
I didn't realise you had limited mobility, sorry to hear that.

With regards to the cost, I'm now of the frame of mind that if you can afford it and you don't need the money for anything else then why not, life's here to enjoy :smashin:
 
Good to see you finally got to see the Kingfishers Toby, great shots :clap:
Thanks Dave, took a while but got there eventually :)

Great pics of yours, especially like the woodpecker. Only seen them twice, although hear them all the time.
 
Thanks Dave, took a while but got there eventually :)

Great pics of yours, especially like the woodpecker. Only seen them twice, although hear them all the time.
👍 Cheers, the local wood near us now has a couple of pair, I've never managed to get a photo one one until recently, whoever looks after the wood fill the bird feeders everyday so they like that area, bit of Lard works wonders as well :)
 
👍 Cheers, the local wood near us now has a couple of pair, I've never managed to get a photo one one until recently, whoever looks after the wood fill the bird feeders everyday so they like that area, bit of Lard works wonders as well :)
We have an area like that where people fill the feeders, you can literally sit in your car shooting out of the window (I get them in the trees though as I don't think it makes for a good shot on the feeder). It's where I saw the woodpecker :smashin:
 
Always good to grab a shot of the local Red Kite flying over the village.
DSC_3402-Edit.png
 
Beautiful
 

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