While researching bridge zooms I ran across this site and joined immediately!! I've been a Nikon centric photographer back to Kodachrome 25 days and always had the newest equipment for company purposes, and OH those lenses you could freely borrow from Nikon Professional Services!!! But I think I'm going to enjoy photography more now with a more manageable bridge zoom. I'm not going to be photographing Audubon covers and I really want the ease of blue tooth and wifi and portability. I am fortunate enough to have a large pond on my remote and very natural ranch. It is a mecca for ducks. My current claim to fame is the Mandarin that showed up a few months ago and apparently has moved in. What a beauty! Besides the normal bevy of Mallards, this week's population includes 3 male and 3 female buffleheads, 5 widgeons, 3 Barrow's goldeneyes, a wood duck, and a fellow whom I cannot identify... yet! The pond is lined with cattails and tule and is a significant nesting site for red winged blackbirds. Probably about 30 to 40 are hatched every summer. There's also a plethora of California quail, doves, Steller's Jays and a wide range of sparrows. Currently harassing the population is a huge red tailed hawk, a golden eagle, a very determined harrier hawk, a re-occurring peregrine falcon, and a rough legged hawk. Canada geese often overnight, sometimes in flocks of 50 or more. That's the front yard. The back yard is wild snowmelt river and well populated by bald eagles, ospreys, great blue herons, and the usual crows and vultures. There is also a Merganser pair in a still water area that nest every year. In a canyon on the way to the river lives a Great Horned Owl. And this is just the bird life... don't get me started on the animal life... hahaha. And I also like to photograph wild bees.
Too, I am just hours away from the flyways of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, the Klamath Wildlife Refuge and the Oregon Coast. So.... lots of opportunities and I'm looking forward to participating in and learning from this forum. But when people ask what's the best camera for birding, if there's one thing I believe, there's not a best camera for birding. There is however a best choice camera for how one is going to use it and what one's budget is. And everything is a tradeoff. All you can do is to make the best possible choice based on a lot of research, make an informed decision, learn the hell out of your new camera and don't look back!
Here are some Red Winged Blackbirds coming into the world last summer. The Red Winged nest photos were taken with my Pixel 4XL because it was handy and in my pocket. The Mandarin with a 300mm F2.8 on a D5600. Oh, the other advice I give to aspiring photographers is 90% of photography is being there and being ready for opportunities.
Now if only I could make my camera decision!!!
Too, I am just hours away from the flyways of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, the Klamath Wildlife Refuge and the Oregon Coast. So.... lots of opportunities and I'm looking forward to participating in and learning from this forum. But when people ask what's the best camera for birding, if there's one thing I believe, there's not a best camera for birding. There is however a best choice camera for how one is going to use it and what one's budget is. And everything is a tradeoff. All you can do is to make the best possible choice based on a lot of research, make an informed decision, learn the hell out of your new camera and don't look back!
Here are some Red Winged Blackbirds coming into the world last summer. The Red Winged nest photos were taken with my Pixel 4XL because it was handy and in my pocket. The Mandarin with a 300mm F2.8 on a D5600. Oh, the other advice I give to aspiring photographers is 90% of photography is being there and being ready for opportunities.
Now if only I could make my camera decision!!!
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