I have a couple of pictures for you today that I've been trying to bring to you for a very long time. All summer long I have watched while robins have hopped along my hiking trails in front of me. For some odd reason, whenever I tried to get a picture of any of them my results were less than spectacular.
Sometimes I would get ready to try for the shot and the bird would fly away as soon as I lifted my camera to get it to the right position. Other times I would get the pictures, but every last one of them would come out as nothing but a blur. You would think this would be an easy task, but it has always eluded me.
Another improvement is that it used to be very difficult to find my targets in the camera's view screen when I had to zoom closer to them. One tiny movement of the camera could point it very far away from where I started. With the zoom lense on I seem to be having an easier time of finding my targets. I thought it would be the other way around.
The main thing is that now I'm able to bring you things like these two photos of this American Robin. Incidentally, American robins are not closely related to the European robins. The American version of this bird is only related by name. American robins were named after the original European robins because of their similar bright red breast.
There you are, a nice normal post today. Let's see how long it takes before I slip back into raging insanity again. The countdown has begun!
Good shots of the robins Ratty, the new telephoto seems to be working well for you. That is a really cute little robin.
ReplyDeleteI haven't the robins here as much lately but the flickers have arrived.
Good post!
ReplyDeleteLovely lines with great shots!
Chasing birds are real fun...I had shared my peacock story earlier...But this time I have got some calm and cool birds like swan :)
Good to see that you made the right investment on your zoom lens Ratty :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen robins around here lately..I think they're looking for a warm place to live! Great shots, Ratty..
ReplyDeleteIt is great that the zoom lens brings you much more satisfacion.
ReplyDeleteBe it your robin or my brown shrike, there is a lot of fun to be with them.
glad you told us about the link between European and American robins....lovely birds all the same.
ReplyDeleteCan I ask if your camera has a viewfinder or just a screen?? (OK I know I've already asked...what I mean is will you answer??)
Thanks
Most of our robins are gone. I think you have more that stay around all year than we do, although we have a few.
ReplyDeleteYou're experience with taking pictures sounds just like mine. Nothing ever seems to sit still long enough for me. I need one of those zoom lenses.
ReplyDeleteI'm on a roll today. I actually have time to answer a few comments for you. I hope this continues, because I love doing it.
ReplyDelete@SquirrelQueen
These robins stay around all winter long. I'm hoping for a few other kinds of birds too. Maybe I'll get to see some flickers too. :)
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@Sharodindu
Swans and peacocks are both some of the most beautiful birds. I'm looking forward to seeing both of them from you. I will definitely have a look.
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@VanillaSeven
I was disappointed with it at first, but it's beginning to work well for me now.
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@Icy BC
The robins seem to like it where I am. You must live within 20 miles of me so you might get to see some robins any time this year.
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@Rainfield
The robins are fun for me because they, unlike other birds, are polite enough to pose for my camera. :)
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@Allotments4you
I almost forgot to tell about the two kinds of robins, but the difference is important. :)
I didn't know you already asked about my camera. Sorry for missing that. I'm always happy to answer anything about my camera. Yes, it has both a screen and a viewfinder. With the zoom lense on, the viewfinder is blocked a little bit. Without the zoom lense I usually use the viewfinder to locate anything that's far away. I'll happily answer any other questions you have. :)
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@Sharkbytes
Robins are the one type of bird, other than geese, that I notice all year long. Maybe it's just a very local thing.
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@Ann
The zoom lense has helped me greatly, although the quality of my lense is a little less than desirable.
I love your nature posts but I also kind of liked your "raging insanity"...Either way it's a win-win situation. :)
ReplyDelete@Roschelle
ReplyDeleteI will continue to do both kinds of posts. I like the normal nature posts too, but that raging insanity is always at full boil and ready to break loose. :)
I find too that some bird species are flitting around alot more than other birds, who will sit still and let you click away at them.
ReplyDeleteSo glad these robins cooperated with you.
After your last post on robins where I told you we hadn't seen any in a while, we spotted two in a neighbor's lawn last week. Haven't seen them since, so maybe they all flew south now to your area!!
I've been practicing with my partner's camera. I've gotten some good "stalking" shots, of a frog and a squirrel.
ReplyDeleteHi Ratty!
ReplyDeleteYour robin was still being sly though showing mostly it's back! Stalking little birds can be such a challenge I know. I try to get the passerines with less than great luck. Even with the zoom it is tough.
One trick you can use is to set your camera setting to largest file size possible, then if you crop in on the picture in your editor you will not loose so much resolution.
I have been doing that with very good results.
We are still eeking along but I have got some rest the last few nights...
@The Retired One
ReplyDeleteI think that's what I like about robins is that they're so cooperative. Plus they seem to like it here so much. :)
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@Elizabeth Barrette
I hope you post your pictures. I'd love to see them.
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@Julia
That's very good advice about editing the photos. I always use the largest file size so I get the best quality possible. Every once in a while I crop them too, but it's a little bit of an obsession with me to get the picture right first.
I hope you all are getting very close to feeling okay now.