New to the Forum Enjoying a new Hobby
Oct 19, 2015 13:45:01 #
Hello everyone, My name is Walt Sonner, I live in Southern Oregon, Grants Pass to be exact. I am 72, retired Instrument/Electrician, have always loved photography & in the last several years have started bird watching as a hobby.
Once you start a home feeder & the birds come you want to know what they are & all about their habits. Then of course you want to take a picture! Now that leads to many other issues like cameras, techniques, lighting, composition, lenses....& so on. Ever been there? chuckle.
Well in poking around I have found this place & am liking it very much! I hope to learn a lot here & develop my skills considerably. I am strictly an amateur hobbyist and usually my "good" pictures are purely accidental. I love Macro pics a lot, flowers, bugs, mostly outdoor Nature pics. And now Bird pics!
I have a simple home feeder station & most of my pics are through the window while they are feeding. I have a Canon Rebel First Gen with the kit lenses. Then I have a Canon SX700HS semi pocket camera with 30X Zoom. This one is my favorite & the one I carry everywhere. I love the Zoom Range & the ability to go all manual or any variation of that.
So I am not a Professional by any means, just an enthusiastic amateur that wants to learn more & take better pictures with what I have. A day where I do not learn something new is a day wasted I believe. Thank you all in advance.
I get Hawks hanging around because of my feeders & the extra birds...but this pic has always puzzled me...one the beak is not curved/hooked like normal & this Hawk was eating the berries. I have tentatively identified it as a young Coopers Hawk? Comments on the identification & the quality of everything in the pic. (Through a window at these settings
f 6.3 1/40 sec ISO 800 105mm focal length Pattern mode of metering
Once you start a home feeder & the birds come you want to know what they are & all about their habits. Then of course you want to take a picture! Now that leads to many other issues like cameras, techniques, lighting, composition, lenses....& so on. Ever been there? chuckle.
Well in poking around I have found this place & am liking it very much! I hope to learn a lot here & develop my skills considerably. I am strictly an amateur hobbyist and usually my "good" pictures are purely accidental. I love Macro pics a lot, flowers, bugs, mostly outdoor Nature pics. And now Bird pics!
I have a simple home feeder station & most of my pics are through the window while they are feeding. I have a Canon Rebel First Gen with the kit lenses. Then I have a Canon SX700HS semi pocket camera with 30X Zoom. This one is my favorite & the one I carry everywhere. I love the Zoom Range & the ability to go all manual or any variation of that.
So I am not a Professional by any means, just an enthusiastic amateur that wants to learn more & take better pictures with what I have. A day where I do not learn something new is a day wasted I believe. Thank you all in advance.
I get Hawks hanging around because of my feeders & the extra birds...but this pic has always puzzled me...one the beak is not curved/hooked like normal & this Hawk was eating the berries. I have tentatively identified it as a young Coopers Hawk? Comments on the identification & the quality of everything in the pic. (Through a window at these settings
f 6.3 1/40 sec ISO 800 105mm focal length Pattern mode of metering
Young Coopers Hawk Straight Beak?
Oct 19, 2015 13:58:06 #
Welcome to the forum! I believe you have a mourning dove there :)
Oct 19, 2015 14:21:53 #
Oct 19, 2015 14:28:11 #
Thank you for answering me! Mourning Dove? ! Look at those Talons! This bird was at least 18" to 24" in height & really is bending the branch with it's weight...It was identical to the Adult Coopers Hawks I could positively identify...
Oct 19, 2015 14:32:54 #
Here is another shot with a Robin in the background barely visible for size comparison...
Oct 19, 2015 14:43:44 #
There are a great many resources online to help in identifying bird. This is just one;
http://www.birds-of-north-america.net/doves.html
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/mourning-dove
Amazon has many books on birds, as does your local library.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=national+audubon+society+field+guide+to+north+american+birds+western+region
As does ebay;
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xnational+audubon+society+field+guide+to+north+american+birds+western+region.TRS3&_nkw=national+audubon+society+field+guide+to+north+american+birds+western+region&_sacat=0
http://www.birds-of-north-america.net/doves.html
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/mourning-dove
Amazon has many books on birds, as does your local library.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=national+audubon+society+field+guide+to+north+american+birds+western+region
As does ebay;
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xnational+audubon+society+field+guide+to+north+american+birds+western+region.TRS3&_nkw=national+audubon+society+field+guide+to+north+american+birds+western+region&_sacat=0
Oct 19, 2015 15:00:57 #
Oct 19, 2015 15:43:05 #
Mustanger wrote:
Here is another shot with a Robin in the background barely visible for size comparison...
OK, I have it now: band tailed pigeon
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Band-tailed_Pigeon/id
Juvenile Cooper's Hawk: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/id
Oct 19, 2015 22:24:56 #
Linda From Maine wrote:
OK!! I am going with YOUR ID on my bird! It looks more like a Band Tail by far! Mine has no or a very faint white neck band is all but it's demeanor was not at all Hawk like...the description of the pigeon seems right on in it's actions too. The size had thrown me off a lot & it seemed HUGE for a pigeon! After closer look at the Yellow Feet they don't seem like talons either....Sigh My mystery solved , but I am highly embarrassed for such a mistake! Oh well, a good day! I learned something!
Thank you very much!
One more pic to clinch it...never saw a Hawk eat berries!
Oct 20, 2015 07:32:55 #
Aloha Walt and welcome to UHH. You have some great bird shots. Keep it up. Main thing is to enjoy and have fun.
Oct 20, 2015 08:48:13 #
Mustanger wrote:
...Sigh My mystery solved , but I am highly embarrassed for such a mistake! Oh well, a good day! I learned something!
Thank you very much!
...Sigh My mystery solved , but I am highly embarrassed for such a mistake! Oh well, a good day! I learned something!
Thank you very much!
No problem; we've all been there :)
Oct 20, 2015 08:54:31 #
Oct 20, 2015 08:55:25 #
Oct 20, 2015 09:31:45 #
Welcome to the Hog, Walt. You will learn a lot here simply reading the Q&A in the main photography discussion forum here. Have fun. ;)
Oct 20, 2015 12:28:34 #
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