Birds

SquarePeg · Sep 25, 2016

My first time trying to capture birds at a nature preserve - really enjoyed myself but very mixed results. My technique needs some serious work. I did much better after I remembered and switched to the settings recommended by @coastalconn in that write up he posted a while ago. Had a lot of almost and not even close focus issues which I'm going to post in another thread for some advice. Here are the ones I consider keepers. I don't know any of the names yet so if you can help with that or recommend the best website or method of identifying birds I'd appreciate it.

I am happy with these for a beginner birder with a 70-300 (Tamron VC) but would welcome any feedback on the cropping or settings (AF-C, Auto ISO). The woodsy ones needed to be greatly adjusted for exposure/blacks in post and I had to apply a bit of noise reduction:
1.

Ipswich_7002_edited-1 by SharonCat..., on Flickr
2.

Ipswich_7029_edited-1 by SharonCat..., on Flickr
3.

Ipswich_7000_edited-1 by SharonCat..., on Flickr
4.

Ipswich_6972_edited-1 by SharonCat..., on Flickr
5.

Ipswich_6971_edited-1 by SharonCat..., on Flickr
6.

Ipswich_7011_edited-1 by SharonCat..., on Flickr

Thanks for looking!

PersistentNomad · Sep 25, 2016

You've got chickadees (b&w) and nuthatches (blue-grey & white). #4 is great, you've got so much crispness all over and his eye is captures really well.

SquarePeg · Sep 25, 2016

PersistentNomad said:
You've got chickadees (b&w) and nuthatches (blue-grey & white). #4 is great, you've got so much crispness all over and his eye is captures really well.

He was very friendly, following us as we moved around. I think he was hoping we were going to feed him which I assumed is not allowed at a refuge but I swear he was looking for food, even did a dive right over my bag when I set it down.

zombiesniper · Sep 25, 2016

Great first set.

ZombiesniperJr · Sep 25, 2016

Nice set

FITBMX · Sep 25, 2016

I am loving that lens! Very crisp/sharp. Great job!

PersistentNomad · Sep 25, 2016

This was at the Ipswich Audubon? There are people that go there regularly and feed the birds, so they are very familiar with humans. When I was there they were landing on people's hands because they were holding up birdseed.

SquarePeg · Sep 25, 2016

zombiesniper said:
Great first set.

ZombiesniperJr said:
Nice set

Thanks Zombie and Jr!

PersistentNomad said:
This was at the Ipswich Audubon? There are people that go there regularly and feed the birds, so they are very familiar with humans. When I was there they were landing on people's hands because they were holding up birdseed.

I thought that might be it. We didn't see a lot of other people since we were there relatively early but the way the chickadees were following us along the trail it was obvious they wanted something to eat. Is it ok to feed them? Do you know? I'll bring some seed with me next time if it's allowed.

PersistentNomad · Sep 25, 2016

I don't know whether or not it's okay, but the people I saw doing it had been there for a while, stayed for the 30+ minutes I was photographing their birds and were there when we came back around later on the same loop.

coastalconn · Sep 25, 2016

Glad my little article helped you out

SquarePeg · Sep 25, 2016

coastalconn said:
Glad my little article helped you out

It did but I had to base it on my memory since I couldn't find it even after doing a few key word searches. Is it a sticky somewhere? If not it should be! It could fit with the Nature forum or in one of the Foundations forums like Beyond the Basics or even the Articles forum.

coastalconn · Sep 25, 2016

SquarePeg said:
coastalconn said:

Glad my little article helped you out

Click to expand...

It did but I had to base it on my memory since I couldn't find it even after doing a few key word searches. Is it a sticky somewhere? If not it should be! It could fit with the Nature forum or in one of the Foundations forums like Beyond the Basics or even the Articles forum.