Birding in BC Community

Hey all, spent a few hours in the home blind this weekend with a thermos mug full of tea.
Birds have been visiting the feeders again big time so instead of taking the gear out on expedition a week before our trip south (i'm superstitious about handling camera gear much before a trip, having dropped my 500mm f4 a few times in the past so bad that it needed repairs i'm more careful now).

First day i was all about capturing the Red-breasted nuthatch action and second day i just shot whatever came in.
I still need to work on my setup, need more shrubbery against the cream-coloured fence (right now i just pinned up a green fabric backdrop) and need to get some new perches too.













All home blind shots are taken with the new Nikon 300mm f4 PF lens attached to D500, tripod and remote shutter. I don't have the space to set up the 500mm f4, space is very cramped.
Thanks for looking, and have a great week!

Nice shots - I'm struggling to find nuthatches down here in Delta.

How do you like the PF 300? I use the older AF-S one which is great, but less weight would also be nice.

[quote="zwest"]Nice shots - I'm struggling to find nuthatches down here in Delta.

How do you like the PF 300? I use the older AF-S one which is great, but less weight would also be nice. [/quote]

You should be able to find nuthatch readily enough at Reifel, usually on the main trail that runs straight from entrance.

I like the lens, useful for flight and close subjects, it's not as nice as my 500mm f4 when it comes to picture quality but is sharp enough.
I turn VR off when i use on tripod.
Not too expensive either.

revs wrote: You should be able to find nuthatch readily enough at Reifel, usually on the main trail that runs straight from entrance.

Yeah I need to take it slower on that path, the problem is it's often too peoply and I just wanna move through that stretch as quickly as I can.

Great shots Paul, backyard photography can be a lot of fun. Have a great trip and I look forward to see your images when you return.

Stunning shots!

Awesome nuthatch shots, Paul. I find them too fast, need lots of patience!
FYI for the person looking for a good spot for them, Campbell Valley Park.
16th Ave entrance, always an abundance of nuthatches. Biggest tree to left hand side of car park had at least six in it eating big juicy ants last weekend!

Calidris33 wrote:Awesome nuthatch shots, Paul. I find them too fast, need lots of patience!
FYI for the person looking for a good spot for them, Campbell Valley Park.
16th Ave entrance, always an abundance of nuthatches. Biggest tree to left hand side of car park had at least six in it eating big juicy ants last weekend!

Thanks - I was actually thinking of going there soon!

Calidris33 wrote:Awesome nuthatch shots, Paul. I find them too fast, need lots of patience!
FYI for the person looking for a good spot for them, Campbell Valley Park.
16th Ave entrance, always an abundance of nuthatches. Biggest tree to left hand side of car park had at least six in it eating big juicy ants last weekend!

That is a great spot, one of the first places i actually got decent shots at when first seeing them.

I actually took a little detour out to Campbell Valley today:

Saw lots and lots of Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees (they were landing on my lens), Hutton's Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, a Cooper's Hawk attacking a Steller's Jay, and...

not a single nuthatch.

that's birds for you

zwest wrote:I actually took a little detour out to Campbell Valley today:

Saw lots and lots of Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees (they were landing on my lens), Hutton's Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, a Cooper's Hawk attacking a Steller's Jay, and...

not a single nuthatch.

Gorgeous shots Paul!
Wish I had a backyard!

Excellent photos, especially like the ones of the Nuthatch. Cheers.