Show your Bird Portraits

[Jack Douglas]

Jack, have you tried Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab of ornithology? It looks a great free app. You can download lists for your area and a photo ID section. This allows you to input your photo, place and date taken. It then provides a list of candidates with excellent photos for comparison.

Thanks I'd forgotten about them also. Last look and year or two back and it was a work in progress but very promising. If I can manage to do what you suggest that would be super.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Spotted Sandpiper
Adult non-breeding

1DXII 500mm f4L IS II

Very nice setting for this shot. Good to see you were out shooting. Have you come up with some personal settings for your camera that really please you?

Jack

 

[Click]

Yes of course, especially with the AF settings.

I use the same setting as Grant Atkinson described in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtGMw-2VD1U

Everything is in "My menu"

Tracking Sencitivity
Accel./Decel Sencitivity
AF PT Auto Switching.

I found this to be more practical than the normal AF options: Case 1 2 3 4 5 6

Thank you for the great tip, Grant!

 

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks click. I am not sure if I've seen it but maybe not since it was produced for a camera I decided to forego but I'll look now because there is a lot to digest with this camera's programmability!

I like having magnify X1 via the DOF button for quick right hand reviews but am annoyed that I have to hit the shutter before I can review back through a full burst sequence.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Hey click, I ended up watching the whole series and they were quite helpful, more or less confirming what I've struggled to sort out over the last few months. I will move away from case usage and just fiddle the the three settings as Grant suggests. I also learned the Q button will skip me through the menus fast. So, thanks Grant if you happen to read this.

What I sense though is that people who have become comfortable in the ways of the older cameras tend to not modify their technique to keep pace with the potential being offered by increased programmability. Canon now has a lot of horsepower under the AF hood via button programmability, including a button, ie. AF-ON that can instantly bring a different shutter speed, Fstop and other camera settings (register/recall shooting function). So without even thinking, just operating the 1st finger and thumb alternately, you can get a fast shutter and zone after just shooting a slow shutter and spot AF, for example. This can pay ISO dividends. What really tweaked my fancy was the fact that buttons assigned to AF can be pressed synchronously (together) without conflict because there is an assigned priority, so one will override the other.

Of course there is this problem of remembering all the complexity of settings!

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

I realize this is off topic but click, or Grant if you're around, it looks like the 1DX2 does not allow the case parameters to be separated from the cases and placed in MY Menu. Now I'm annoyed.

I guess I just have to fiddle with each individual case and tweak it if necessary and then use the cases.

Jack

 

[Mikehit]

I realize this is off topic but click, or Grant if you're around, it looks like the 1DX2 does not allow the case parameters to be separated from the cases and placed in MY Menu. Now I'm annoyed.

I guess I just have to fiddle with each individual case and tweak it if necessary and then use the cases.

Jack

If I understand Grant's video, you choose the Case that best suits you way of working and you can tweak the AF around that 'reference setting'. The MyMenu method than gives you a quick access to adjust that tweak on the fly.

 

[Nat_WA]

I realize this is off topic but click, or Grant if you're around, it looks like the 1DX2 does not allow the case parameters to be separated from the cases and placed in MY Menu. Now I'm annoyed.

I guess I just have to fiddle with each individual case and tweak it if necessary and then use the cases.

Jack

Hi Jack,
I presume you use the Custom sets for specific, favourite types of photography... On my 7DmkII I have different AF tracking parameters set for C1-C3, while using the default Case 1 in the A / T / M modes.
So, while I learned from Grant's video that I can also put them in MyMenu, the need to do so is less as I have a "locked on" AF setting for wildlife / birds at low altitude in C1, a "responsive" setting for sports / emerging birds in the sky in C2 etc.
From what I know of the 1DXmkII that at least must be possible.
cheers, Wiebe

 

[Click]

Hi Jack,

Very easy:

Go in My Menu, first page

Select: Configure

Then, Select items to register

Then, scroll down to:

-Tracking sensitivity
-Accell./decel.tracking
-AF pt auto switching

Press the Set button for each.

Let me know if you have any problems.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Hi Jack,

Very easy:

Go in My Menu, first page

Select: Configure

Then, Select items to register

Then, scroll down to:

-Tracking sensitivity
-Accell./decel.tracking
-AF pt auto switching

Press the Set button for each.

Let me know if you any problems.

Click, perhaps it was too late last night. I tried exactly what you are saying and those three items don't appear in the list. I was surprised. As Wiebe has suggested, it really isn't what one could call a handicap. Anyway,I have used up all "My Menu" space as is!

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

I realize this is off topic but click, or Grant if you're around, it looks like the 1DX2 does not allow the case parameters to be separated from the cases and placed in MY Menu. Now I'm annoyed.

I guess I just have to fiddle with each individual case and tweak it if necessary and then use the cases.

Jack

If I understand Grant's video, you choose the Case that best suits you way of working and you can tweak the AF around that 'reference setting'. The MyMenu method than gives you a quick access to adjust that tweak on the fly.

That's how I see it too.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

I realize this is off topic but click, or Grant if you're around, it looks like the 1DX2 does not allow the case parameters to be separated from the cases and placed in MY Menu. Now I'm annoyed.

I guess I just have to fiddle with each individual case and tweak it if necessary and then use the cases.

Jack

Hi Jack,
I presume you use the Custom sets for specific, favourite types of photography... On my 7DmkII I have different AF tracking parameters set for C1-C3, while using the default Case 1 in the A / T / M modes.
So, while I learned from Grant's video that I can also put them in MyMenu, the need to do so is less as I have a "locked on" AF setting for wildlife / birds at low altitude in C1, a "responsive" setting for sports / emerging birds in the sky in C2 etc.
From what I know of the 1DXmkII that at least must be possible.
cheers, Wiebe

Perhaps I can feel a little less guilty about taking this thread off topic since on further thought it really isn't off the topic of photographing birds.

I'd be interested, if you (or anyone else) care to share, in hearing exactly what logic you used to create the cases for C1..C3 and what settings you typically have for the imagined scenarios when you set it up. Right now I am determined I want the "register/recall shooting function" as one of my programmable choices. In that case, I would have it set for a BIF against the sky with exposure compensation on auto ISO and a faster shutter, maybe 1/2000.

Jack

 

[Nat_WA]

...

Perhaps I can feel a little less guilty about taking this thread off topic since on further thought it really isn't off the topic of photographing birds.

I'd be interested, if you (or anyone else) care to share, in hearing exactly what logic you used to create the cases for C1..C3 and what settings you typically have for the imagined scenarios when you set it up. Right now I am determined I want the "register/recall shooting function" as one of my programmable choices. In that case, I would have it set for a BIF against the sky with exposure compensation on auto ISO and a faster shutter, maybe 1/2000.

Jack

For (moving) wildlife and low flying birds, trees and brush will come between subject and me; I don't want the camera to react on these - so C1 has single point AF with point expansion (1+4), AF tracking to "Locked on" and no additional acceleration or point switch sensitivity.
For (motor-) sports and BIF against the sky, where it is hard to track and /or predict where the subject will be exactly in the frame (at least for me with my limited skills ) - C2 has (small) area AF, "responsive" tracking and faster point switching to quickly find and track the subject. I did not (yet) experiment with the acceleration parameter - haven't used it for fast and erratic moving subjects...

It is neat however to be able to control the parameters directly from MyMenu (I immediately tried it on my 7DmkII) - did not use it though for any experiments...
cheers, Wiebe

 

[Jack Douglas]

...

Perhaps I can feel a little less guilty about taking this thread off topic since on further thought it really isn't off the topic of photographing birds.

I'd be interested, if you (or anyone else) care to share, in hearing exactly what logic you used to create the cases for C1..C3 and what settings you typically have for the imagined scenarios when you set it up. Right now I am determined I want the "register/recall shooting function" as one of my programmable choices. In that case, I would have it set for a BIF against the sky with exposure compensation on auto ISO and a faster shutter, maybe 1/2000.

Jack

For (moving) wildlife and low flying birds, trees and brush will come between subject and me; I don't want the camera to react on these - so C1 has single point AF with point expansion (1+4), AF tracking to "Locked on" and no additional acceleration or point switch sensitivity.
For (motor-) sports and BIF against the sky, where it is hard to track and /or predict where the subject will be exactly in the frame (at least for me with my limited skills ) - C2 has (small) area AF, "responsive" tracking and faster point switching to quickly find and track the subject. I did not (yet) experiment with the acceleration parameter - haven't used it for fast and erratic moving subjects...

It is neat however to be able to control the parameters directly from MyMenu (I immediately tried it on my 7DmkII) - did not use it though for any experiments...
cheers, Wiebe

Thanks for that. Up until now I haven't been shooting enough to get a clear definition of what my various circumstances might be, other than one being BIF against bright sky needing compensation. If I lived by the ocean I'm sure I'd be getting a lot more BIF practice and experience; songbirds just don't cut it.

I think it's helpful to be sharing these experiences in post and not just photos.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Mallards are everywhere but for some reason they don't frequent my little pond much and then they are never tame enough to get near. However, lately a pair of Mamas have been very friendly so as I watched for other subjects I finally gave in, back up and snapped this @ ISO 10 000. I can honestly say I'm very pleased with the high ISO capability of the 1DX2.

Jack

 

[Click]

Very nice shot, Jack.

The bird's ID is easier on this one.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Very nice shot, Jack.

The bird's ID is easier on this one.

Now that's a good little jab! ;D I actually paid attention to how the feathers fold into place and tend to hide the colour.

Jack

 

[Jack Douglas]

Hi Jack,

Very easy:

Go in My Menu, first page

Select: Configure

Then, Select items to register

Then, scroll down to:

-Tracking sensitivity
-Accell./decel.tracking
-AF pt auto switching

Press the Set button for each.

Let me know if you any problems.

Click, perhaps it was too late last night. I tried exactly what you are saying and those three items don't appear in the list. I was surprised. As Wiebe has suggested, it really isn't what one could call a handicap. Anyway,I have used up all "My Menu" space as is!

Jack

There are times indeed where I wonder if I'm becoming senile. Anyway, today as I sat watching for birds that did not arrive, I found the menu items! :-[

Jack

 

[tarntyke]

Mallards are everywhere but for some reason they don't frequent my little pond much and then they are never tame enough to get near. However, lately a pair of Mamas have been very friendly so as I watched for other subjects I finally gave in, back up and snapped this @ ISO 10 000. I can honestly say I'm very pleased with the high ISO capability of the 1DX2.

Jack

great photo.
Compare the bill with your previous post of a possible mallard which is yellow.
Possibilities:
a) male mallard moulting (eclipse) plumage
b) Mexican mallard. Do they reach Canada?
c) Mottled duck
d) American Black duck
e) interbreeding with other species
The Cornell app opts for mallard and does not offer other species as options. Strange as an experienced birder friend of mine is adamant that your original photo is not of a mallard, either male or female.
Just shows how carefully you have to look at even common species. Do have any other shots of original duck perhaps showing wing flash?
Attached is a poor quality photo of a drake mallard enduring contortions to preen a hard to reach feather.
Also compare your original photo to sitting on a fence posted by dpc on page 530 of this thread. It has a yellow bill and taken in Canada.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Mallards are everywhere but for some reason they don't frequent my little pond much and then they are never tame enough to get near. However, lately a pair of Mamas have been very friendly so as I watched for other subjects I finally gave in, back up and snapped this @ ISO 10 000. I can honestly say I'm very pleased with the high ISO capability of the 1DX2.

Jack

great photo.
Compare the bill with your previous post of a possible mallard which is yellow.
Possibilities:
a) male mallard moulting (eclipse) plumage
b) Mexican mallard. Do they reach Canada?
c) Mottled duck
d) American Black duck
e) interbreeding with other species
The Cornell app opts for mallard and does not offer other species as options. Strange as an experienced birder friend of mine is adamant that your original photo is not of a mallard, either male or female.
Just shows how carefully you have to look at even common species. Do have any other shots of original duck perhaps showing wing flash?
Attached is a poor quality photo of a drake mallard enduring contortions to preen a hard to reach feather.
Also compare your original photo to sitting on a fence posted by dpc on page 530 of this thread. It has a yellow bill and taken in Canada.

Wow, now there is a fly in the ointment. Thanks. I was feeling very embarrassed about my insecure bird IDing abilities until now. What I need is a true birder at my beck and call!

I will try to spend some time a little later on this issue. Up here, probably one of the very most common ducks is the BW teal along with mallards but the teals seem to be significantly smaller. If my bird is a mallard it's a small one. BTW there are two that are floating (inseparable) around grubbing just below the surface and eating the green stuff on the water which for my limited knowledge didn't seem too mallard like to me.

I was only slightly aware of interbreeding as another factor - maybe I should just give up.

Also the mallards I've known seemed to have pretty darkish brown breasts and these aren't so much.

Another but very similar pose.

Jack