Cool, Anna...I didn't see the pic before...Nice shot, though!
I haven't heard what's good for in flight...did hear that to take good bird pics something with at least a 200mm lens, you know the kind where birds are sitting in the trees and won't fly away trying to get to close to take one....Also dslr cams are suppose to be quicker than point & shoots which you can buy those kind of lens for....I'm ready to move up to one of those but haven't decided which one...an entry-level...lots a good choices out there...

juanita

To get good consistent results you will need a DSLR. If you are on any kind of budget I would recomend the Canon 30D with the Canon 400mm L 5.6 lens. Then add a 1.4x teleconverter to extend your range even more. This setup is fairly heavy but can be hand held for flight photography. For good results you would want to use a very sturdy tripod for everything else. Unfortunatly, if bird photography is your passion be prepared to take out a second mortgage on your house. The equipment mentioned above will cost around $2400.00 and this is generally considered entry level equipment.

Robb

if you want to get serious about photagraphy i suggest the nikon D 80 they have them as package deals on ebay for around 1300 to 1500 for a set up with cases three lenses and tripods the whole works

Both Nikon and Canon's entry-level DSLRs are great, have outstanding features, are (comparatively) inexpensive, and you can use any lens with the same mount (I use three used lenses from the late '80s and early '90s, as well as a couple of telephotos).

The main thing you're going to want for birds in flight, kids playing, sports, or anything else moving quickly, is a fast lens (meaning as wide-open of an f-stop as possible [the smaller the number, the faster the lens i.e. 28mm f/1.9 is quite fast]), and shoot with the fastest shutter-speed possible (at LEAST 1/400 second). My Nikon D80 will shoot as fast as 1/4000 second, and Canons are comparable.

As for Nikon v. Canon: They both rock. It really comes down to personal preference at this level, though I have heard tell that Nikon is preferable for sports and action shots, where Canon is better designed for portraiture and studio work. Like I said though, it's really personal preference. Go to your local camera store (NOT Best Buy or any of those big-box stores, support local!), tell them what you're after, play around with the different cameras, ask questions, go home and think, and then get what you want.

Or, go to Best Buy, ask around, play around, find out what you can from those useless punks, and then go buy used somewhere else!