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A Spot Of Birdwatching


Kirislin
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These birds, Currawongs, Magpies and Butcherbirds are all from the same family, characterised by those whopping great beaks. I took these photos within about 2 minutes, all on the same fence post.

First is a juvenile Pied Currawong

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then a male White backed Magpie, he recently lost his mate :) she was looking ill for a long time and now I dont see her any more.

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the Grey Butcherbird, this is the male

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and lastly his little wifey.

"they've eaten it all :rofl: "

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dont worry, she got some too.

Edited by Kirislin
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They are lovely - nice light too, it's given you a great background. I hate it when I spot a wild bird and it's bright sunny middle of the day lighting. I don't know why you don't like that lens, isn't it the 75-300 with IS that a few other DOLers used to have? I think those pics are pretty sharp considering the overcast day.

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They are lovely - nice light too, it's given you a great background. I hate it when I spot a wild bird and it's bright sunny middle of the day lighting. I don't know why you don't like that lens, isn't it the 75-300 with IS that a few other DOLers used to have? I think those pics are pretty sharp considering the overcast day.

My 75-300 doesn't have IS but 'cough' this is a different lens :)

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That's a fantastic lens. The aperture of 2.8 on it will enable you to get fast speeds in lowish light too. I had the 70-200 non IS f/4 version before I dropped and broke it and managed to get sharp bird shots without IS, especially in good light. I loved it. I ended up buying a 300m f/4 prime now but I really miss my 70-200 f/4.

I haven't had much chance to use it yet, it only arrived on Friday and it's been terrible weather ever since. This is the lens I hope hope hope will give me those action running shots of my whippets I've been craving to get ever since I bought my 400D early last year. I am not sure the camera will be able to focus fast enough though, the spending fest might not be ov er just yet, hence my reason for asking about the 50D.

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OOO, I love my 70-200 :) Looks like you're already seeing how fab this lens is!

Can't wait to see your whippet running shots :rofl:

FWIW I am usually at ISO 640 or greater when shooting the Ridgies running, but I am usually out there either early morning (sun's up but still relatively low in the sky) or late afternoon when there's still plenty of daylight but not as harsh as midday. I find I have to crank the ISO so I can keep the shutter and aperture to what I want (I'm usually around 5.6 or 6.3ish for aperture, I think. I found wider open I wasn't getting enough of the exact focus I wanted and stopping down a bit still gives me good background blur).

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I'm just itching to get out there but the weather is dreadful here and I think it could be several days before I am prepared to lay on the ground to try for the whippet shots I want. Also, dont have a mono or tripod and this thing weighs a ton. I have visions of ending up looking like those crabs that have one massive arm and one normal one.

Edited by Kirislin
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