Some bird photos with my new Sigma lens (150-600 Sports)

JeanLux · Mar 24, 2016

Class pictures David :clap: !!!! Bravo !!!! Jean

Hamlet · Mar 24, 2016

emydura said:
Thanks

Yes, I do find it frustrating at times. It can be hard work lumbering around with all that heavy gear. And your subject matter never sits still. If I get one or two good photos I'm happy. A couple of weeks back I walked a couple of km's through this low coastal heath hoping to get some photos of some honeyeaters. I barely saw a bird and those that I did see I couldn't get close too. Frustrated I was just about to leave the area when at the last moment that flock of Tawny-Crowned Honeyeaters flew in and started catching insects right in front of me. That made all the hard work worth while.

Using a tripod means you can shoot at a slower shutter speed then you would if you were handholding. But you still need a fast shutter speed and bright light is helpful. The ability of modern cameras to produce high quality images at high ISO sure helps. The second photo of the Yellow Robin was shot in the poorest light imaginable. Cloudy, late in the day and under a heavy canopy. I could hardly see the bird. Even at an ISO of 5000 it still produced a nice image.

I would see Galahs most days. They are very widespread and common across most of Australia. They would possibly be the most common parrot/cockatoo in the region. Only the White Cockatoo would rival it in numbers. The Galah can form enormous flocks. The poor old Galah is much maligned in Australia. If someone calls you a galah they are basically saying you are a fool or an idiot. It is a beautiful bird but I guess its commonness means people take it a bit for granted.

Here is a pretty boring photo of a Galah I took. I'm working on getting a better one.

It's always rewarding when patience and hard work pay off!

Yes, digital camera technology has come a long way. Today's cameras have astonishing low light capabilities.

That is a nice photo of a beautiful bird! On this side of the planet there are people who pay thousands to own and keep Galahs as pets. I guess most Australians would call them crazy. It's similar with ringneck parakeets here. Years ago, people turned their heads at these exotic looking birds flying around in Europe. But they've become so common that people take them for granted as well. It still amazes me that we have wild parrots here with our cold winters. There are several cities here that now have large populations of this species.

Ozpaph · Mar 24, 2016

David, superb photos. Id love to see more.
Is the fairy blue wren the bird my Grandfather refers to as a "willy-wag tail"?

KyushuCalanthe · Mar 24, 2016

Nice. I really like the noisy miner photo (the name is funny too). I love shots that show a bird dangling off a branch like that - it makes you realize how flexible and strong these creatures are. Keep them coming!

Ozpaph · Mar 24, 2016

does the auto focus still work with the tele converter?

emydura · Mar 24, 2016

troy said:
Very good pictures!!! I've wanted to throw a grenade at cormorants for ruining my fishing experience, dive bombing the school!! Aaarrrgghhh I guess they look cool though

I can't say I've ever seen the cormorants do that here.

Hamlet said:
It
That is a nice photo of a beautiful bird! On this side of the planet there are people who pay thousands to own and keep Galahs as pets. I guess most Australians would call them crazy. It's similar with ringneck parakeets here. Years ago, people turned their heads at these exotic looking birds flying around in Europe. But they've become so common that people take them for granted as well. It still amazes me that we have wild parrots here with our cold winters. There are several cities here that now have large populations of this species.

That is interesting. I hadn't realised the Ringneck parakeet had become so widely introduced outside of India. I have seen this species in its native habitat. It is amazing that this tropical bird could be doing so well in such a cold climate. I could think of a lot worse introduced species.

Ozpaph said:
David, superb photos. Id love to see more.
Is the fairy blue wren the bird my Grandfather refers to as a "willy-wag tail"?

This is what I call a Willie Wagtail. A very common and much loved bird right across Australia.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...hUKEwjGg6Xko9rLAhWImZQKHY2pCzEQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1

Ozpaph said:
does the auto focus still work with the tele converter?

Yes. I bought the TC-1401 1.4*TC which was designed especially for this and a couple of other Sigma lens. It doesn't quite focus as well as without the TC but for the most part it is fine. I had an old Sigma TC which was completely hopeless with this lens, but this new one is really good, both in terms of sharpness and focus. I find for smaller birds, you need way more than 600 mm, so a TC is essential.

KyushuCalanthe said:
Nice. I really like the noisy miner photo (the name is funny too). I love shots that show a bird dangling off a branch like that - it makes you realize how flexible and strong these creatures are. Keep them coming!

They are not the most popular bird. They are noisy as the name suggests and a bit aggressive. They are always chasing other birds away. I showed a friend the photo and he responded by saying that the photo even made the Noisy Miner look nice. They are active though and acrobatic so they are a good subject for photos.