Nuthatch and Chickadee from today.

[The_Caper]

These are from today in my backyard at - 17 degrees celcius.

1. Standing Proud

2. Shying away from the camera

3. Inquisitive look

4. I pulled the trigger just as the Chickadee flew away and I was left with this small explosion of seeds.

5. A trusting Nuthatch

6. The Nuthatch again

7.

 

[The_Caper]

Here is one more of the nuthatch.
Thanks for looking.

 

[The_Caper]

*Bump*

Sorry all, needed to bump this one to get some critique as I am new to birding/bird photography.

I guess Im just not used to seeing 3 posts go by with zero critique of any kind. Even the bad stuff.

 

[Dynamic]

Caper,

I didn't have a lot of time lately and I totally missed your posts.
It is unfortunate that no one gave you any critique as its kind of hard to improve and learn when you don't get any feedback at all...
Now that said, I think you've done a good job capturing the birds here. 1 and 3 are very good, 2nd is out of focus (the beak). #6 is great except for the branch that got in the way, which is distracting.
Here is my biggest suggestion. Try photographing those little birds in their natural habitat while using the feeder as a lure. I've noticed that nuthatches that come to a feeder will fly away to their favorite tree and consume their loot there. If you can spot a location like that around your feeder, try setting up and waiting for that 'lucky' occasion. Alternatively, a walk in the park is a good venue for pictures as well. Just don't get discouraged because sometimes it takes many walks to capture a few good shots.
I found bird photography to be a challenging hobby. The good thing is that every time you go out, you learn about what to expect in different areas and the learning curve steepens. Keep those shots for your reference, keep at it and in time you'll see how much you've progressed.
Hope this helps. Bottom line is, keep on shooting and keep on posting. I for one, never get tired of watching shots as these. :thumbup:

 

[The_Caper]

Thank you Dynamic, that's great info to work with. In the last couple of weeks alone I have found birding to be difficult yet worth all the frustration.

These were all shot with a 200mm lens as that is my max range and cropped dramatically. I hope to get a better birding lens in the very near future.

Thanks for your help and you can expect I may need some more assistance in the fall when I get back and start up shooting again.

Cheers.

 

[Dynamic]

Anytime Caper. It is a good thing to hear that you found the suggestions helpful. As for the lens. I find bird photography challenging with a 300mm and there were many occasions where I wished I had something bigger.... Looking at the bright side though, it is possible to take decent shots with what we have, it just requires patience. Sometimes patience translates into sitting motionless in one spot, waiting for bird to land on a near by branch ...
Anyways, good luck in your endeavours!
(It is unfortunate you won't be able to take any shots in the springtime as bird migration will bring plenty photo opportunities....)