Garden Birds

[Geoff F]

A fairly common subject but something which usually causes me a bit of difficulty. Getting correct exposure is tricky even when spot metering so some compensation is needed. Focus is rather shallow even at F11 and auto focus frequently gives false focus so manual focus works best for me; if only the models would keep still long enough for me to do the focusing.

Backgrounds are rarely ideal, hence the exposure tribulations. And the exposure/aperture/iso requirements change as the situation and lighting varies.

7D with Sigma 150-500 lens at 500 on a tripod.

Blackcap male, these tend to be rather forceful around a table top feeder but aren't so keen on visiting the hanging feeders.



Blue Tits are the most frequent visitors to hanging feeders but I always struggle to get them looking sharply focused and they flit about so much that I struggle to follow them when manually focusing.



Chaffinches prefer feeding on the ground or table top feeders but will visit other types of feeder occasionally. This is the female.



Dunnocks rarely visit these feeders and prefer to spend their time hiding in hedges or feeding from the ground and open top feeders.

[JR1]

Nice sharp well defined and colourful shots, i've been doing the same today

[Shadowman]

Nice captures.

[Downrigger]

Nice expressive images. You've handled exposure really well in these and with the brightly lit but small subject and dark background I can see your challenge. I agree with you about manual focus - often better for this sort of project, and these are nicely sharp.

[Geoff F]

Following on from Jeremy's flying bird sat in the garden today it was so nice

This was the best I managed. If only . . .



And one on the peanut cage.

[IzzieK]

I like all of them, Geoff, apart from the flying one...I like the first one best because of its very snooty pose...like its expression saying "Ha! is that all I get today?"

[GeorgeM]

Nice series, Geoff. The Dunnock is my favorite, probably because of the way you caught its eye.
I see that you're using the Sigma 150-500 lens. I'm hoping to buy a lens of that type and am trying to decide whether to go with that one or the Tamron 150-600 lens. I belong to the Facebook group "Birds of the Eastern United States", which has users of both, and both provide good results. Decisions, decisions.

[marlunn]

Very nice set, love the Blackcap and the Dunnock, the last one of the Blue tit is cracking. look forward to seeing more of our 'locals'

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

George, if you can afford it, the new Sigma 150-600 is getting very good early reviews; but I'm not sure if it is fully on sale yet.

And something a little bigger from the wildlife reserve today. Not sure but I think it is likely to be a juvenile Sparrowhawk. Couldn't get a perfect light angle so this was the best I could manage.



They do visit my garden occasionally, looking to take one of the small birds.

[NorthernFocus]

Shooting around feeders can surely be challenging. As with any wildlife photography a bit of study and planning goes a long way. I miss having a feeder in the yard. Unfortunately where we currently live they attract bears as well as birds so we don't have one

[IzzieK]

Ours attracts squirrels so I took it down. I'll find a better way...

George, are these lenses you mentioned, for a crop camera? I will be looking for a zoom lens for birding for an FF camera...just curious...

[NorthernFocus]

Izzie, both the Sigma 150-500 and the new 150-600 are FF lenses. For that matter all of their super tele zooms are FF(DG in Sigma code)

[IzzieK]

Izzie, both the Sigma 150-500 and the new 150-600 are FF lenses. For that matter all of their super tele zooms are FF(DG in Sigma code)

Thanks, Dan...I will look into it...4 lenses will keep me busy this year...'appreciate the info...