[Fangman]

I spy with my beady eye . . . .

Not Tweety-Pie watching the cat but a long tailed tit watching me.

[ray]

Nice photo that for me fangman clear and sharp

[silkstone]

Nice one! They must be used to you to get that at 200mm. Very low background noise too, and you're tempting me to swap the 30D for a 40D.

[fgates]

Nice shot. It is nicely posing for the camera.

I tried to take a picture of some of these last summer. The cheeky little things sat ad watched me from the bushes behind some branches. Then one flew down and sat on the lens. Then they all flew off

[Fangman]

Originally Posted by silkstone

They must be used to you to get that at 200mm. Very low background noise too, and you're tempting me to swap the 30D for a 40D.

1/400th @ f5.6 at full 200mm on the 2.8 70-200 Sigma DG iso 400.
Bribery brings them to about 2m from the lens

The noise on the 350D would have been about equal to iso1600 on the 40D or even worse so it has made all the difference. I have been using iso 1000 and 1600 to try and freeze wing action using speeds up to 1/2000 and still the noise is bearable. I would recommend the 40D over the 350D but i don't know if I would bother to go up from the 30D as friends get such good results from theirs.

[Chris H]

Superb shot

Silky stop thinking and start doing.

You Just know you want that 40D LOL

I just love watching the birds in my garden tucking into those fat balls. I must start moving my feeder slightly closer to the house now they are getting used to me.


This little chappy still visits me every day



Unfortunately he's darn fast and it was taken through the back door window which to say the least was filthy

[Fangman]

Well done - pleased that I have encouraged someone to have a go - bribery works!

I have two tables with perches a few inches above attached about 7ft away as is the fat ball holder. The seed feeder may be 8ft and another nut feeder 15ft away. These are suspended from a birch tree that appears in the background of some shots. The green is the lawn beyond. There is plenty of cover in the garden including a large willow tree. Fields behind leading down to small paddocks with thick hedges and a small nature reserve within 300m so there is a wide range of varying cover and food to give a superb selection of wildlife. I look over the valley to Ely cathedral on the skyline just over 2 miles as the crow flies (if it ever wanted to). I leave a camera on a tripod aimed at the feeder - opening the window to give a 6inch gap if conditions permit - if not take through the glass (I do keep it absolutely clean) with the lens as close to the glass as possible.

[AQ]

Great shot. One of my favourite birds. It almost look as if it is using its tail for extra stability in the same sort of way woodpeckers do.

One of my brothers has a suction mounted feeder on his kitchen window. The birds use it a lot and do not notice people in the kitchen if you do not move about to much. The birds also do not seem to fly into the glass. The only problem I can see with that is keeping the outside glass clean. I am thinking about mounting one a couple of feet away from the window and seeing what happens. Has anyone tried this ?

[Fangman]

It is surprising how close they will come - especially in cold weather and if you have it up when food is short they will be braver to start and then get used it becoming regular visitors throughout he year. Pre-focusing and a cable release to start with may be a help.

[AQ]

Amazing what hunger will do. Many years ago during a prolonged very cold spell we actually got to hand feed a Jay who must have been starving.

[simpbow]

Nice shot & some handy tips, tried it a few times but nothing as good as yours.