Salon - - Bird Feeder Season

KevinBE · #1 08-30-2003, 03:57 PM

Well, it's that time of year once again. Yes, it's Humming Bird Feeder season. I have already started my collection of Humming Bird Feeder shots. Problem is that they all pretty much look alike. They look just like the shots I got last year too.

But, I've started my collection.

KevinBE · #2 08-30-2003, 04:02 PM

Guess I live too close to Texas. I got one of their Humming Birds on my feeder today. I guess they have bigger feeders over there to handle these bird.

KevinBE · #3 08-30-2003, 04:12 PM

Here's more like it. I have a secret weapon this year. It's called Kodak High Definition ASA 400 film, bright sunlight, a 300 mm lens and a fast camera. I had to figure out how to get enough debth of field so I could focus on the feeder and still get the bird in focus off to the side. Those guys are so fast my digital camera never stood a chance. When you press the shutter on the digital the picture is actually taken about 1 1/2 seconds later.

This shot was taken with a 300mm lens about 12 feet from the feeder at 750th of a second shutter and about f8. Thankfully Neat image got rid of most of the grain. I just need a little more speed and I'll get a good sharp shot.

KevinBE · #4 08-30-2003, 04:15 PM

And yet another. I'm on a roll.

TwinbNJ · #5 08-30-2003, 06:49 PM

Wow Kevin !!!! not an easy shot to say the least. Great job.

KevinBE · #6 08-30-2003, 07:34 PM

Thanks Jill, I really don't want to tell you how many feeder shots are in my collection. It seemed like I was never going to get the right touch to get one of those fast little birds in focus.

I hope to get some really good shots this weekend because the group is growing in numbers. It really gets fun to watch them swarm the feeder. They also will pay less attention to me if they are dodging each other.

Ed_L · #7 08-30-2003, 07:44 PM

Good thread and some great shots! We've had hummingbirds at our feeder for 2 or 3 months. We never see more than one at a time,

but they come every day at just about any time of day. No shots though.

Ed

KevinBE · #8 08-30-2003, 08:00 PM

Hi Ed. We have had a solo bird for about three weeks. he has been hard to catch. Now we are getting at least three and more to come I hope.

I wish I could get a closer shot because these birds are so tiny it's hard to get enough detail. I hope to get a spotting scope soon and start getting more types of birds. I really need more than 300mm to get what I want. My neighbor is a big bird lover and has feed and water like I've never seen. He even has created a thicket in one corner of his yard to attract birds to roost. So I have plenty of different birds to shoot. I have counted 4 different breeds of Dove and many other birds.

I have to show this one. It is my first shot of a humming bird using my digital. I have the 2X teleconverter for my Nikon digital now and it really does a good job. All I can do with the digital is to start taking pictures as fast as I can when the bird is in the air and hope I get one. And I have several now but this is the best one.

Ed_L · #9 08-31-2003, 08:34 AM

Great shot Kevin! We've been feeding the birds for quite a while now. This year my wife planted a few things close to the windows in our rec room. We've had great success with a purple butterfly bush. This draws hummingbirds (we also have a hummingbird feeder close to it), bumblebees, and a pretty good assortment of butterflies. Next to the purple butterfly bush is a white one. It ony gets maybe 5% of the activity brought on by the purple one. Don't ask me why.

We also have a good sized section planted strictly for the birds, but it's not close to the house. Food, shelter and water...that's what it's all about.

Ed

CJ Swartz · #10 08-31-2003, 02:34 PM

Kevin -- good capture of the colors on the hummer! So glad you're getting shots of something beside your feeder this year. I'm also happy that you don't begrudge the little house finch a cool sweet drink once in a while.

KevinBE · #11 08-31-2003, 05:46 PM

Hi CJ, thanks for the compliment. I spoke too soon about this being a good weekend to shoot. We are getting feeder band showers from that tropical storm all day tomorrow. No light for shooting and rain half the time.

Hope I don't have to rescue one of these birds like I did last year. Those guys don't understand that if they get too wet they can't fly. I picked two of the off the ground last year and had to dry them off. You know I didn't even take any pictures while I had them in the box. Didn't think about it until it was over. DUHHH!