Camera Labs

Wow, we could really get a discussion going on that (and I agree with you Pier and others!) A gun is a tool - for good or bad, but back to birds...

Regarding the starlings, I am not sure what it is called here other than a flock of birds. I am told that the starlings and purple grackles flock together and migrate regionally looking for food and water and warmth this time of year. Although we had a really unseasonably warm week and most of the snow melted, the cold is back, and it is back down into the teens (Fahrenheit, below zero Celsius.) I was in the house earlier today, and a dark shadow went over the window - must have been several hundred birds together. So I grabbed my camera, and started shooting but they were on one side then over the house to the other side, then to the front, up in the trees, down in the yard, back to the first side, across the road, back in my yard... And here I was running back and forth inside the house trying to get some decent shots before they were all off again. They stayed probably 5 minutes (never in one spot more than about 30 seconds) and were off again somewhere else. All I can say is that I am increasingly frustrated with the slow speed of my camera, and the length of time between shots. I missed some deer this morning too, by the time the camera was ready, the deer were heads up and running into the woods... (I do know this tool too is only as good as the person behind the lens, but I also know that any job is easier when you have the right tool in your hand. It does get frustrating sometimes - and therein lies the challenge, eh?) Canon Powershot SX 150 IS

Nice shot X

_________________
Gear: Canon SX20 IS, Canon Rebel T3i, Canon EF-S 18-55mm
Wishlist: Canon 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II
Visit me and leave me a comment in My Flickr

X,

What kind of card do you have in your camera...make/model?
Cards come with different write/read speeds,I had the same issue before switching to a Sandisk extreme/pro...

http://www.sandisk.com/products/memory-cards/sd/

Like switching from a bolt action single shot .22 to a full auto AR15....

_________________
Pentax K-5
Pentax 18-55mm,Pentax 50-200mm,Sigma 17-70mm,Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm

Hi Kpr,
Right now I have a Verbatim SDHC 4 GB. Most often I use SanDisk SDHC, usually 4 GB; although looking at my cards here, I also have some Duracell SD 2 GB, 1 Lexar Media 256 MB, 1 Fujifilm, a PNY Premium, a Kodak, and others. Up until you asked, I never gave the card much thought but it makes sense that the better the card is, the better the pictures will be... I also replaced my batteries today, thinking maybe the batteries were just not able to keep up.
Beautiful day today, cold but sunny with blue skies. I drove around for more than an hour this morning - never saw even a hawk, though I tend to see them quite frequently. Quiet quiet day out here for wildlife this morning. Drab, boring landscape right now - the snow melted, trees are bare, everything looks like it is waiting... I need to go out where there is still some open water and I am sure I will see more moving around.
Thanks for the information. I'll read up on the cards!

some Kookaburra`s


LR4-6109 by maxjj, on Flickr

_________________
Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

That's a picture I couldn't take around here. Thanks for posting Max! I can sing the song about Kookaburra's but could not have picked one out if my life depended on it. I am not sure why they even taught us the song in school since we don't have any here.

nice shot max... As mentioned before.. I have always found those birds to be extremely interesting... next time Im in Australia those are definately on my list to seek out

_________________
Canon 7D + 50D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM + EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Pelican // Black Rapid // Think Tank // Manfrotto // Garmin

Reflections On Canadian Wildlife
My Flickr

yes they are interesting, have observed them many times, always entertaining. They are often found in family units and can be trained to come to the balcony and will take sausages, mince meat etc.
I was camping up at the Warrumbungles about ten years cooking dinner , see wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrumbungles its an awesome place, and dropped a penne pasta while draining it. The Kookaburra was sitting above the camp in a gum tree and dived down onto the pasta. You could hear the thump as he speared it with his beak and then flew up in the tree were he flicked it with his beak onto the branch as if it was a little lizard that needed killing. He then swallowed it. There is no mistaking what that beak is for, its clearly for stunning snakes, lizards, skinks,etc, as they dive out of the tree.

Also they are very reluctant to change flight direction, they just swoop from the branch and aim for the next one, if you are in the way, you better duck. A few times we jumped as out of a corner of your vision a kookaburra comes heading for you, not too hit you, its just that is where they were going. After that I never underestimated their beak, its a bit like a flying spear.

Don`t know why, but every time I pee in the bush I hear a Kookaburra laughing.....

_________________
Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

lmao

_________________
Canon 7D + 50D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM + EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Pelican // Black Rapid // Think Tank // Manfrotto // Garmin

Reflections On Canadian Wildlife
My Flickr

I'm not sure they sound like that Mike. (or maybe they did when he heard them! )

_________________

Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

hahaha

what is he laughing at tho !

_________________
Canon 550D, Canon EFS 17-85 IS USM, Canon EF 75-300 IS USM, Canon EFS 10-22mm USM, Canon EF35mm F2.

Got some of the gear but really still no idea...

Good shot Max, I hear them often but they are not in view most of the time from my back gate. Someone told me they used it’s laughing call in the old Tarzan movies. I been collecting bird shots from my back gate and need it to finish the collection for posting.


Cheers

_________________
Nikon D7000, D40X, Nikkor 18- 200 VR II, f3.5-5.6, 70-300 AF non VR, Kit Lenses.

Nice shot maxjj!

_________________
Gear: Canon SX20 IS, Canon Rebel T3i, Canon EF-S 18-55mm
Wishlist: Canon 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II
Visit me and leave me a comment in My Flickr

Nice shot maxjj.

I always remember singing "kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.... " as a kid in school. Crikey, I am how old.....

_________________
Dent, Arthur Dent.

Pentax k-30 and k-x with DAL 18-55mm and DAL 55-300mm, Tamron 18-50mm and Camera Labs Straps.

Here's one that stays around all winter here - a Ring-necked Pheasant. Canon Powershot SX 150 IS