Look at May 17th "Sandhill Crane Family".

My name is Howard (Howard5252). I have been taking pictures since I was a kid with my parents Kodak Box Camera - which I took apart one day. I have recently discovered that I like taking pictures of birds. I don't know why it took so long for me to make this discovery ... but it did. I am currently documenting a Sandhill Crane family living nearby. I've got pictures of the eggs and pictures of the chicks from Day 1. Will be buying a new lens, hopefully to get me closer to my subjects. I'm open to any tips on taking pictures of birds, like where and when they are.

One or two more points. Don't edit in the camera, wait till you get the images onto your computer. I never even look at the image unless it's a shot I can re-do ... like a tree. If it's a BIF, it'll either be in the picture or it won't and it'll either be in focus or it won't. No matter, the shot is gone, move on to the next one. Just keep shooting - your critique will be done at home, where you can actually see what you've got. BTW, you do have some nice shots.

I forgot to ask ... does your lens have some sort of image stabilization? If so, you shouldn't need a tripod.

I thought I read somewhere that you are using a Canon camera. If so, I say again... let the auto focus do its job. You have to keep the subject in the viewfinder. If you can't do that then it won't matter whether you are in auto or manual focus. PRACTICE tracking birds. Start with the bigger, slower ones but keep your camera on the bird and let it focus - it will do it faster than you can. Fill the viewfinder with as much of the bird as you can (get as close as you can). One last thing shoot,shoot,shoot ... "Film is cheap" especially when there is none being used. Practicing on moving cars is a good start, you should be able to get at least 4 distinct shots as the cars pass; just follow and shoot. BTW try to keep the the shutter finger from smashing down on the shutter ... use as light a touch as possible. That also must be practiced.

Let AUTO FOCUS do its job. You have to learn to calmly track the bird in flight. Tracking is not overly difficult but it should be practiced until you can do it smoothly and calmly. If you use a zoom lens, don't have it out to its max mm., give yourself more room in the viewfinder. If you can, use Aperture Preferred and pick f16/22 to give yourself a greater depth of field. Learn the practical limitations of the lens ... don't try to take a bird in flight 1/2 mile away. The closer the better. An exception to that last thought is mt 3rd picture. The birds were quite high but there were three of them, so I took a shot. Sometimes it helps to be lucky but the shutter must be pushed for luck to have any chance.

Thank you for that piece of information.

Chicks are 5 Days old.

Can you ask the person you bought the lens from?