OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR

Yes.
BBF = Back Button Focus.
AFC = Auto Focus Continuous.

optic Loc: Southwestern United States

First, you have to calculate how much time you're willing to invest in the shot, how much time your subject is willing to give you and how much "Damn! Just missed him" frustration you can tolerate. If wildlife, in general, is your interest, and these numbers are small, you're probably better off using the viewfinder, Given the capabilities of the camera/lens I see in your picture, reliance on a tripod is not necessarily routine. Consistent success while enjoying the freedom and mobility of hand-held work is directly proportional to practice and the cost of a digital exposure makes lots of practice wonderfully affordable.

Rdhalste

A Tripod should make little difference in which you use.
Use the viewfinder, or LCD, which ever you are most comfortable using. We all have our preferences, but you can compose a shot using either. Remember the LCD uses battery power, so if you are going for a long shoot extra battery power is a must for the LCD. So too do full frame, high resolution shots. Taking the time to compose an image may mean missing a shot. Take the time to set the camera up to include the focus and desired area ahead of time. Then hope the subject cooperates.

Although you didn't ask, shooting from a blind? Prefocus? AF can at times become confused depending on natural lighting, backgrounds/foregrounds, and motion.
Then there is the time allocated for a shot. With wildlife in a natural setting many shots are little more than point-and-shoot with little, if any time, for creative composition except for planning ahead. For this type of situation, I personally find the viewfinder to be far superior to the LCD where I am predisposed to placing emphasis (and too much time) on composition.

There are many approaches to minimizing the shortcomings of both approaches, but that could, or would take us into the overall of wildlife shooting. You asked a specific question and not a paper or "how to"

cessnalvr Loc: West virginia

I get better pics at the horse shows using the view finder

vonzip Loc: cape cod

Viewfinder for me also. I like your friend on your camera.

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

Maybe I would use the live view on a tripod, never hand held. Partly that is because I learned to hold the camera with film, only viewfinder. Mostly it is because I can see through the viewfinder better. The lack of a viewfinder was why I gave up on a Canon point and shoot I had. Just think, would you hold your eye away from a telescope lens? The apparent view from the viewfinder is greater.

gessman Loc: Colorado

...no, but I'd hold my eye away from a tv or other viewing screen and don't much think I'd like to watch tv through a monocular.

hassighedgehog Loc: Corona, CA

Think of the angle of view, and what detail can be seen. Looking at even a 3" by 3" screen your view at the distance it needs to be focused is much less than a view finder at eye distance. Looking at the monitor is like looking at a 20" TV, while with the viewfinder it is closer to a 35" screen. I have great difficulty focusing with the monitor, no problem with viewfinder. That is why I do not like cameras that do not have a viewfinder.

gessman Loc: Colorado

I was just cracking on the way you chose to phrase that. I mostly use a viewfinder but have found an LCD to be very useful in some circumstances and am glad to have the option.

AlfredU Loc: Mooresville, NC

Thank you.

gessman Loc: Colorado

AlfredU, abbreviations have caused a lot of folks problems here in uhh, so much so that there have been several threads dedicated to helping folks out with that issue. If you put the word "abbreviations" in our search tool at the top of the page when you're signed in you'll get a list of things that will help in the future should you need it, here: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/search-topic-list?q=abbreviations&sectnum=0&username=

AlfredU Loc: Mooresville, NC

Much appreciated. I never was good with acronyms. Thank you.

gessman Loc: Colorado

You bet. I just looked the list over and see that it needs updating - doesn't even have the two you were asking about.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Charles, You should consider experimenting with using the LCD to compose and focus some of your images. Your picture of the hawk would have been infinitely better if you have taken it from a lower camera position. You could accomplish this by laying down on your belly or just kneeling down and using the LCD to compose and focus. Give it a try.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

I instinctively prefer to use the viewfinder, but when the circumstances suggest a lower camera position I will use the LCD (I don't like laying down in the swamp).