In the back garden and Baron's Haugh with the Tamzooka

weepete · Apr 12, 2015

Been playing around with the Tamzooka over the past few days in the back garden to try and get used to it. Also took it to a local nature reserve run by the RSPB and had a lot of fun today firing of a couple of hundred shots. Think I've worked out a couple of things with this lens. Anyway here's what I've been most happy with so far

From the back garden:

Blue Tit on Rose by wee_pete, on Flickr

Colourful Starling by wee_pete, on Flickr

And on Baron's Haugh Nature Reserve:

Heron in flight 2 by wee_pete, on Flickr

Squirrel by wee_pete, on Flickr

tirediron · Apr 12, 2015

Looks like the two of you are getting along well!

Hunter58 · Apr 12, 2015

Nice shot of the Grey Heron in flight. The Starling is nice but a little tight in the frame.

weepete · Apr 12, 2015

tirediron said:
Looks like the two of you are getting along well!

Aye mate, this lens is a hoot. I think I could really get into this wildlife shooting thing. It'll take me a while and no doubt some advice to get the best out of it but the range is superb and I really enjoyed being out and about with it

weepete · Apr 12, 2015

Hunter58 said:
Nice shot of the Grey Heron in flight. The Starling is nice but a little tight in the frame.

Thanks mate, that shot of the heron pretty much made my day. The starling shot is important to me as I remember being on holiday 5 or 6 years ago at stonehenge and being facinated by the irridecance of the starlings there. I took loads of frames of them but just couldn't capture the colours. So it kinda repesents how much I've learned in the past couple of years. That's why I wanted it big in the frame so probably lot sight of the edges. These are all cropped pretty heavily so plenty of space to play with for a reframe.

BillM · Apr 12, 2015

Nice job

weepete · Apr 13, 2015

Thanks Bill!

ronlane · Apr 13, 2015

#2 is very nice IMHO.

weepete · Apr 13, 2015

Thanks Ron!

baturn · Apr 13, 2015

All nice, but it's the heron in flight for me.

sm4him · Apr 13, 2015

Agree with the Heron for #1! I'm sure you'll love that lens--I've thought about upgraded since the day it was released, but so far I just keep going with my Sigma 150-500 and wishing for that extra bit of reach. To be honest, what I really want is about 300mm worth of "extra bit" of reach. :lol:

Question: What is the general attitude toward European Starlings over there where they are actually a native species?
Americans, for the most part, HATE them. They are largely considered to be basically a plight on our land--I blame Shakespeare for the whole thing, actually. :lol:

Well, he is at least indirectly to blame.

They ARE beautiful when the light hits their feathers right. And supposedly beneficial, since they are largely insectivores. But yet, over here, they are one of just three birds that anyone can kill, without any need for a hunting permit, etc.

weepete · Apr 13, 2015

baturn said:
All nice, but it's the heron in flight for me.

Thanks mate. That's my favorite of this lot too.

weepete · Apr 13, 2015

sm4him said:
Agree with the Heron for #1! I'm sure you'll love that lens--I've thought about upgraded since the day it was released, but so far I just keep going with my Sigma 150-500 and wishing for that extra bit of reach. To be honest, what I really want is about 300mm worth of "extra bit" of reach.

Question: What is the general attitude toward European Starlings over there where they are actually a native species?
Americans, for the most part, HATE them. They are largely considered to be basically a plight on our land--I blame Shakespeare for the whole thing, actually. Well, he is at least indirectly to blame.

They ARE beautiful when the light hits their feathers right. And supposedly beneficial, since they are largely insectivores. But yet, over here, they are one of just three birds that anyone can kill, without any need for a hunting permit, etc.

Thanks Sharon. I'm pretty stoked with it though I do need to do a wee shrpness test with it just to make sure. I very nearly went for the siggy myself too.

I've never heard of starlings being considered a pest over here though I'm in the suburbs of our countries biggest city so we are still pretty urban and I don't know if the attitude would be different in a more rural area. As far as i know they are pretty much considered as song birds. Though we do get flocks they seem to be kept in check by the birds of prey. There's an issue over here with habitat destruction as we get more urbanised and the old country hedgerows dissapear. It's mostly pigeons, magpies, common gulls and crows that get the brunt of thd ill will over here.