I tuck my pants into my socks and spray with a good tick spray. Be careful of all ticks. There are some new diseases carried by other ticks. Do a close body inspection after any field trip. Of course, it is always more fun if you have help.

Once you decide which lens you want, look at the Nikon web site, and search for "refurbished" Then search for the lens you want. They overhaul and inspect each lens but the price is much cheaper. Comes with a full warranty,

I carried a 200-500mm to Alaska and used it just once. It was too much lens for anything except wildlife shots. The 70-300mm was enough for all other shots. It was way too heavy to carry for just a few shots. I now have a 1.4x & 2.0x Kenko teleconverters.

Nice shot. WE had an Elkie for 15 years. Still miss her.

The most important element is a good photo is a careful and observant photographer. I suggest you use the kit lens until your capabilities exceed those of the lens. If you need a new lens for a specific purpose (35mm prime, wide angle or super telephoto) buy the best you can afford. If the kit lens was not adequate, you would blame the camera and change brands. The manufacturers don't want that, so they provide an inexpensive, but fully adequate lens with the camera. Stick with it until you want to do something beyond the limits of that lens- then upgrade. I still use kit lenses, but all my new purchases are higher grade. If you decide to upgrade, look at KEH.com for used lenses or go directly to Nikon for refurbished lenses. You can gets some great deals that way. I just bought a macro for $350- the new price was $799. I can't tell the difference between the new and the refurbished, and I got a full 1 yr warranty.

It depends on if it is a paid job or a family deal. I will not contract with family. Screw up one little thing and they are still family, and they will remind you of it forever. If someone else is the paid photographer, I will experiment and give the photos as a gift. If it works, they are super grateful. If it doesn't, they don't need to know. I won't experiment or use new equipment on a contract.

Have you considered renting the D750 for the wedding? Get it a little early so there are no surprises. Ask if you can rent with the rental going toward purchase if you decide to keep it.

Take a look at www.canon.com/refurbished. Their prices are great, and they are considerably cheaper. These are cameras that were carried by stores or salesmen and reconditioned by Canon. They have a full US warrantee. Unlike the production cameras, every single camera is fully inspected. I have several lenses I purchased that way and am very satisfied.

When you replace the off brand battery, make sure it had cells that come from Japan and not China. The quality control is significantly different.

B&H today, with 2 kit lenses, is $1049. Generally, manufacturers set the price. While they cannot tell distributors what to sell for, if a retailer undercuts the "suggested" price, they have a lot of difficulty obtaining product. If you fine it much cheaper, it may be grey market.

Tentatively agree, but the sapsucker should be brownish on the belly. Sapsuckers should return tot he same tree to feed. The degree of white spotting on the cap suggests a juvenile. Size would be important, and there is no scale for this bird. Sapsuckers are generally 1/3 larger than downys.

Probably a Downy. Ladderback range does not extend into OK.

Nearly all cell phones have a camera. If there is a problem, take a photo. If it goes to BBB or Consumer affairs, a photo trumps "he said/she said. " Managers seldom want to pursue the issue if there are pictures.

Pickpockets are a bigger problem. If you carry your wallet in the front pocket, wrap a heavy duty rubber band around it. The rubber causes increased friction with the material in the pocket and you are more likely to feel it. However, some slash the bottom of the pocket and remove it that way. I kept my money and cards in a passport wallet hung from a strap around my neck & inside my shirt. I kept a few bills in a money clip in one pocket, but no identification.

I bought a LowPro Slingbag. It does not look like a camera bag, and, in crowds, I can carry it in front. I carried it through France & didn't get a second look. If you are concerned about strap slashers, get some light weight fishing wire. Weave 2-3 strands through the strap and around the D-rings.