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Bird Watching a Relaxing Hobby

We have a Japanese maple just outside our kitchen table windows where a Cardinal family nests every spring. It's handy so I can frustrate the squirrels who try to get to the eggs.
 
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The baby Wrens flew away this weekend as I was opening the Garage door Saturday Morning. They did just fine flew into the trees and such. E9EA8244-1F13-47CB-B5EC-29FEA24AE013.jpegA428E044-874F-4240-947A-E0E8E98CC7B1.jpeg
 
Red letter day for us. The farmer next door cropped his hay field today. The weather was warm and dry with perfect updrafts, so we got a kite and some buzzards hovering over it looking for food. I say some……it was a new record. We got at least ten buzzards (couldn’t count them more accurately, they kept disappearing into the haze) hovering over the field as he cut it. The poor old Kite gave up and went somewhere else with less competition. Our chickens were less than impressed, they hid away making muttering noises until they were gone.
 
Red letter day for us. The farmer next door cropped his hay field today. The weather was warm and dry with perfect updrafts, so we got a kite and some buzzards hovering over it looking for food. I say some……it was a new record. We got at least ten buzzards (couldn’t count them more accurately, they kept disappearing into the haze) hovering over the field as he cut it. The poor old Kite gave up and went somewhere else with less competition. Our chickens were less than impressed, they hid away making muttering noises until they were gone.
Bet that was a sight Tim. Had our local Red Kite over the houses and gardens today, being mobbed by a very disgruntled Jackdaw, just ignored it and glided away .
 
Certainly was John. The first one or two on the thermals must have bought in all the buzzards for miles around. Fantastic to think that thirty or so years ago seeing even one buzzard or kite here would have just been a dream. These days they are seen daily.
 
You're right Tim. The increased numbers of some birds of prey is great to see .
Jim
 
Thanks Tim
Bird photography is another hobby of mine but due to health issues I haven't done much so far this year.
 
Used to be a hobbby of mine as well Roger, but after developing RA I find holding the camera up for any length of time difficult at the moment. What kit do you use? I have a Canon 7D2 and a 100-400L zoom as my go to kit. Your pheasant shot looks like you’ve used a fast prime lens. You have a great background blur from a decent open aperture going on.
 
Hi Tim
I have a 7DII and 100-400 MkII but this was shot with my Canon R5 and RF100-500 lens. the subject was fairly close (around 10ft (3Mts) and due to the size of the bird I closed the aperture down to f8 to get most of it in focus. ISO 1600 and 1/320 sec. I did own a Canon 600 mkIII lens but as I have difficulties getting out, I sold it (A very sad day). The 7DII is a very good camera but I rarely use it presently. I remember shooting a Bearded Dragon with it around 3-4 years ago at a ridiculously high ISO, thinking the noise would be horrendous but it actually came out really well.
I need to get back to Bovington Tank Museum with the camera, as I haven't been there since Covid. It's only about 30 minutes from my place.
 
Sorry Tim
I mean't to add, have you tried using a tripod with a decent gimbal head, to take the weight off your hands and arms ?
 
I haven’t, but carrying is also an issue……and I’m an impatient type so wouldn’t bother setting it up. I tend to go light with just the camera and lens. I keep the camera on a sling strap which hangs the camera at the middle of my back but allows it to be brought to use in a few seconds. It’s by far the most comfortable way I have found to carry it.
 
I haven’t, but carrying is also an issue……and I’m an impatient type so wouldn’t bother setting it up. I tend to go light with just the camera and lens. I keep the camera on a sling strap which hangs the camera at the middle of my back but allows it to be brought to use in a few seconds. It’s by far the most comfortable way I have found to carry it.
By the time I got all my kit out and the tripod set up the subject had either flown off of got fed up with waiting .
 
We have just had 18 young starlings in the new cut grass. I think they where happy.
 
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