Am I a bird photographer?
I love wildlife and nature. I enjoy observing the behaviors of animals and birds in their natural habitat. But when it comes to bird photography, it is much lower on my scale of interest. It’s not that I don’t’ enjoy birds (hummingbirds are my favorite), it’s just I’m too slow to capture the darn things (especially the small tweety birds as they flit in and out of a scene). When my camera isn’t able to track them, or the buffer fills before I get the shot, or I’m not quick enough to have a chance, bird photography becomes a very frustrating endeavor.
Hence, I am not a bird photographer.
Can I be bird photographer?
This is all about to change. I am newly equipped with an incredible camera. It is a Sony A1 that can capture up to 30 images a second. It also has an amazing bird tracking algorithm, one of the best (if not the best) tracking performance of any camera. Finally, it has a silent shutter option so as those 30 frames a second are firing off like a machine gun, it will not disturb my quarry. The birds won’t even know I’m taking their picture. I am so excited, maybe just maybe, I’ll be able to capture some great bird images.
I have a chance to be a bird photographer.
Birding with the new camera – Day 1
It’s early on our first morning. Jeff and I have just arrived at the bird blind. We are set up to capture exotic Indian birds in Sattal, India. I am ready with my new incredible camera.
It is just before sunrise and it is dark and chilly. The temperature is hovering about 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). I’m bundled up in many layers, finishing with a down jacket, wool hat and gloves.
A male Kheej Pheasant
As the birds begin to arrive, I am busy (silently) clicking away. We have a White Crested Laughing Thrush, a few Parakeets, a rufous-throated partridge, a red jungle fowl, kheej pheasants, a yellow naped woodpecker, and they keep coming.
Greater yellow naped woodpecker
Plum Headed Parakeet
White Crested Laughing Thrush
A Red Junglefowl (aka a wild chicken), and check out those amazing colors.
Black Headed Jay
The birds are incredible. I look at my shots and they are sharp!! I am having so much fun watching and capturing these unique and colorful birds that I almost missed the fact that my camera chip is full.
I am birding
Quickly switching chips so as not to miss a shot, my bird photography enthusiasm continues as more amazing and colorful birds arrive.
Grey Treepie
Asian White Eye (super fast little bird)
Red Billed Blue Magie
We’ve only been there a 40 minutes and I notice my second chip is nearly full. I ask Jeff if he’s switched chips yet, “no, not even half used” he answers. (This should have been a clue, but I was too excited to think about it).
I take Jeff up on his offer to borrow a set of camera chips as I’ve used both of my sets up.
Red Billed Leiothrix
Rusty Cheeked Scimitar Babbler
It’s been less than an hour and I’m now rationing my shots. I’ve filled nearly 3 chips and I have no more with me. There must be a problem with my new camera. I’ve never gone through chips like this before. Concerned, Jeff checks the camera out. All seems fine.
Our first morning at the bird blind is incredible. We’ve seen a couple dozen colorful and different birds in less than 2 hours. I can’t wait to look at my images.
Ooops, too much birding
Imagine my surprise when I downloaded an incredible 5648 bird photos. This is not a typo!
There was a lot of birds and some action, but NOT that much action. To put this in perspective in the past on a safari with multiple animals, I might capture 1000-1500 in half a day. On a landscape outing, I might capture a 100 images.
My new camera got the best of me. With my finger desensitized with the gloves, the high speed image capture and the silent shutter, I had no idea I was basically shooting the whole time.
I now had to pay the price of “too much birding”. I had the incredible task of going through all these images, so I could clear the chips before our afternoon shoot. I still have a lot to learn.
Birding with the new camera – Days 2-7
Lessons learned! I took off my glove and turned off the “silent mode” (sorry birds). I am now taking the amount of photos I expect. My images are mostly sharp. All I need now is a longer lens so I can capture the tweety birds. Jeff, please fix this for me.
Amazing pictures but I can’t imagine how difficult it was to sort through so many images! Yes, I think you are a bird photographer and a very good one!
It wasn’t easy going through 5648 photos especially since we lost power during the few hours I had to prepare for our next outing. No power equals no laptop as my laptop is old and the battery doesn’t last. I ended up copying them to the laptop, making a backup and then deleting a 1000 or so on the first pass. I then worked it down over the next few days…. I had to also clear them off my back up and my laptop as I was running out of space there too!!
You certainly are a bird photographer….and an extraordinary one! 🤍
You certainly are a bird photographer….and an extraordinary one! 🤍
Thank you so much for your kind words and for following along.
Those are amazing pictures. Incredible birds. I can’t image trying to do anything with all those layers of clothing and gloves! I have a problem clicking my car door open with gloves!
I wish you were with me offering those words of encouragement when I realized my error. Thanks for following along.
Birds are my favorite subject
Great job
Put them on every page of my calendar
Thanks! I didn’t know you enjoyed birds so much. I think we need to figure out how to create a special calendar for you!
You did great! I feel your pain with the silent mode. It’s definitely better in theory than in practice! You have so many beautiful captures and I’m sure you’ll enjoy looking back at the memories too.
Thank you so much for following along. Yes, after that little mishap, I went back to the “non-silent” mode and I did much better. More practice and no gloves will probably do the trick.
These pictures are so outstanding! Especially for a lover of birds!
Thank you. The photography and the learning is fun, albeit a bit frustrating. Especially, when there is a bit of a competitiveness between Jeff and I.