Comments on: Great Backyard Bird Count Coming Feb. 13

By: Glynn Wilson

Glynn Wilson — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:30:32 +0000

Yes, the bird seed costs a small fortune, but if you don’t have pets, and we don’t, it’s about like spending money on dog or cat food.

One of these days, I’m going to come see you up there in the country and check out your set up : )

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:20:57 +0000

I’ve got a few good ‘uns very similarly – pretty much live in a recliner by our sliding glass door to the back porch, and line the rails several times a day with sunflower seeds, a major budget item at our house. You know the rest of the story from there, I’m sure.

By: Glynn Wilson

Glynn Wilson — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:56:20 +0000

Thanks Tom. It’s digital, with a Nikon D-50, three years old. I’m trying to raise the money for a new one and a bigger lens : )

You might ask, how in the world did you get close enough to a little bird like that — a bird that almost never stops moving — to get that shot?

Well, you have to be tricky. Right outside one of the front windows on our house there is a dogwood tree. I positioned a bird feeder in that tree not far from the window. I took the screen out of the storm window and fixed up a bird blind with plastic that I can use during the spring and fall migrations and the bird count in February.

When the birds land on a limb going to and from the feeder, I can snap away in a burst and usually get several good, sharp images.

It would be darn near impossible to get that kind of a shot in the wild without a giant lens. A tripod is almost useless, since they move around too much and too fast.

Now you know my trick : )

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:26:36 +0000

Pretty doggone nice shot of chick-a -deedeedeedee. Did you get with digital, or with film and big chunk of glass? Just right eyelight, to my tastes.