Goodness, Liz, after schlepping the 300f2.8 on a two hr. hike this past weekend to see golden eagles my shoulders were shot for a few days, I cannot imagine ~hand-holding~ the 500mm (and in fact after seeing how sore I was with the 300, decided against purchasing the 500mm)....and then I see your images and know why I wanted one LOL. Amazing you photographed a pileated in flight, and I'm so envious,I've been trying to find my local barred owl for the past two years. Thanks so much for sharing your images! Debi in NY

Hi Gardener, A picture through window does not show the true potential of your cam. These pictures are neat but should be amazing with the window open! Congratulation for your new cam and thanks for sharing, Luc

Hi Greenthumb The first two images were shot at 1/1600 and 1/2000, using 700mm and ISO 1600 and 1250, respectively. The last two were shot at 1/2000 and 1/3200, both at ISO 1600. Admittedly the third picture is very grainy. It was originally a throwaway. I was shooting another hummer and this guy was in the background so I cropped it and sharpened it (probably too much) and threw away the rest of the picture. I try to get as close as I can to the birds. Usually I get within 15 feet or so. I never use flash. It alters the color, especially the green back feathers of hummers, in a way I don't like. I always shoot offhand and almost always use auto focus. That is OK when they are perched or when they are hoovering but following them in the air or when they are fighting or chasing each other is a real challenge. My camera does focus very quickly and has almost no delay between the trigger and the shutter response. Still, it's mostly luck when you get a really good one. I do crop all my shots as much as I can before I post them. If it's a picture of a bird I like to show the bird and not a lot of sky. If the bird happens to be doing something interesting, like a a scarlet tanger picking a cherry from a tree, I back off and show you a bit of the tree too. I guess it's a bit like being an artist. I do it mostly for me and hope others will like it too. If they don't, that's too bad but there are lots of other artists out there. One thing you give up when you shoot up close and wide open is depth of field. Still, even if part of the subject is out of focus, I prefer that way to using a flash that would probably burn out the closest part. For example, here is a shot where both of their bills are in focus (and not much more) Still, you can tell at a glance what is going on. Dave

My phoebes had skipped a year of nesting in their usual place (above the porch light fixture near my office door). My mirror set-up had scared them away. I should have realized that birds do not "like" mirrors -- but I didn't think about it at the time. I did see a bird pecking all day at the mirror, looking behind it, then pecking angrily at it when seeing the "intruder" again. That bird came back the next day to peck at the mirror again. I felt sorry for him wasting his time. But, I didn't think about the phoebes reaction being the same. So, they never nested there last year. I removed the mirror, but they still did not return to nest there this spring. Instead, they nested on another side of the house -- under our raised deck (same as last year). But, after the 1st brood was fledged -- THEY MOVED BACK TO THEIR OLD NESTING SPOT! So, the phoebes apparently got fed up with the disturbances created by our toy poodle (who is let out onto our raised deck several times a day.) The poodle would be walking directly over their nest, and possibly pissing over their nest. The nest building started May 25, 2021 and completed on the 30th or 31st. The mother was sitting on the nest on May 31, and there were 2 eggs in the nest. So, the first egg was likely delivered on May 30. By June 3, there were 5 eggs. All the eggs hatched on June 17 -- so, exactly 2 weeks after the last egg was laid. Interesting that all eggs hatched on the same day, even though each egg was laid a day apart. When I peeked, all the shells were gone. So, even tho I didn't see it, I assume that the parents removed all the egg shells. I also see the parents flying away with baby-bird poop. The poop looks like worms, and the parents carry it away from the nest. They either drop it or eat it (it is undigested food). Today is June 23, and the parents are often very busy bringing food. The bay birds are still too small to see without using a mirror over the nest. Here is a link to a very interesting article from 1937, detailing the observations of nesting habits of phoebes as studied over a 3-yr period. A few interesting details: Female does all the nest building. Incubation starts at varying times - sometimes after 3rd egg, sometimes after 4th, sometimes after 5th. The male apparently does none of the incubation. After fledging, the young birds remain close to the nest, getting farther way as the days pass. Both parents still feed the young after they fledge -- feeding them for periods of up to 18 days. Reliance on the parents gradually decreases. The parents may eventually show harsh treatment of the young to get them to go out on their own. Interesting. https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v059n03/p0410-p0417.pdf