Continuing my effort to work in AI Servo, I caught this Chickadee preparing for what I thought was the arrival of the new chicks--there were 6 eggs in the bird house. Sadly, I'm reporting today that all eggs are gone, and I suspect a raid happened sometime this a.m. between this shot and the one where I caught 2 downed eggs and Chipmunks feasting on them below the house (the broken egg is in my 365 album for today).
Oh, what sad news on the eggs . . . I had just caught up on reading about them, too. But meanwhile, you're getting good practice on that AI Servo! I should have read about it sooner . . . it certainly would have helped me focus on the funny- eared squirrels!
@jyokota The parent chickadees keep coming to the house and peering in. Ugh! AI servo just may be what I've been needing--I don't think with birds so much as they just move too quickly, but with kids and water maybe? I'll keep experimenting all week and beyond. I see you are in Seoul again! Kira and I just finished another drama, "Shut up and Let's Go" (I think). So far her favorite--she even downloaded the music (and she's teaching herself Korean!). I love it.
This is a super capture especially with the worm in its mouth, just a suggestion but you mentioned focus, I always shoot in manual and push my shutter speed as high as I can to ensure sharp focus.
@jo13 I was in manual--I'm going to have to figure this combo out. When I force up the shutter speed, I also have to open up the ISO (which I think I had at 800). My camera gets very, very grainy as a result. It may be that I'm trying to get something beyond the capability, but I do know it's not exactly right--thanks for the suggestion. I think I just need to really work on shutterspeed with the AI Servo this week.
I very rarely go above ISO 400, just dont like the grain, what setting is your AV on as I try to keep that pretty low to gain as much light as poss. Al Servo is great, but I tend only to use it on subjects that are already in motion
@jo13 I'm afraid I "don't know"--I'm using the "M" setting--funny you should mention AV because I played with it some. I think it's time I downloaded my actual manual. Thanks so much Jo for taking time out here. I did take some "better" shots today of some other moving targets--I just wanted my little chickadee with his inchworm.
@darylo Because you are using M you can set AV to suit your needs, I usually set mine to a pretty small number so that I can get good DoF, i.e the emu, and to get more light, but what do I know, I learn something new every day, good luck with the manual, I'm rubbish at reading those!!
@darylo -- I plan on experimenting with that AI Servo setting, too. Never used it before. Always wondered what it meant.
I added the show to my netflix lineup! Tell your daughter "Anyonghaseo" for me. It's a very useful word since it covers about 5 different English greetings! Funny story. I asked the winner of the illustration contest (probably around 25 years old) what the difference was between "Anyonghaseo" and "Annyonghashimnikka" which I had learned on my first trip to Korea in 1973. Her reply? "They only say "Annyonghashimnikka" in books from a long time ago." Sigh. I guess 1973 really was a long time ago. I've adapted and now I only say "Anyong haseo."
@judis Many thanks Judi! @foxsparrow Thanks for that news! I thought it was all over....I can move the box with the nest--do you have a suggestion for type of spot in case they want to reuse at all? :)
@darylo If you move it now, I'm not sure if they will use it again this season. Something was obviously able to reach their eggs, sometimes raccoons reach in with their long arms..... The diameter of the appropriate hole opening for a chickadee house is 1 1/8" , and that diameter is for their protection from predators. It's nor fool proof but it helps. How large is the opening on your nest box? Maybe you could somehow close up that opening a little more with a piece of wood glued across the bottom, or switch that house out with an "appropriate" chickadee house, or put a chickadee house in a different location in your yard.. Those are the best suggestions I have. They will build a new nest somewhere, at this early stage of the season. : ).
@foxsparrow I went out to measure the opening and it is 1 1/4" and the house is deep, so it had to be a difficult reach. The house suspends from the "arm" of the shepherd's crook (it's a double hook, with it suspending from the taller one). I was thinking it was chipmunks, but I didn't know they could get up the pole, but I saw 2-3 chipmunks below feasting on at least 2 eggs later after this shot was taken. I was hoping that only 2 were taken, but when I checked later, all gone. I'll do some research. Thanks so much for the advice. I'll see if I can get the hole smaller, but if the chipmunks were the culprits, they can get in anything it seems. I'm happy to know that they often lay more eggs in a season! As of yesterday afternoon, the baby robin was still ok with parents (the other 2 eggs were on the ground, though). Baby is being and fed and watched by parents! Fingers crossed!
@darylo Hi again ! Sounds like the opening was the perfect size. Unfortunately yes, just reading that chipmunks are nest predators and we know they can climb. : ( Maybe attach it to a pole with a guard on it, or you could try suspending it from a tree on an iron hook or from a gutter if you have them but ...... All I can tell you now is good luck, and I hope they have a successful brood, and you get to enjoy watching them. : )
I added the show to my netflix lineup! Tell your daughter "Anyonghaseo" for me. It's a very useful word since it covers about 5 different English greetings! Funny story. I asked the winner of the illustration contest (probably around 25 years old) what the difference was between "Anyonghaseo" and "Annyonghashimnikka" which I had learned on my first trip to Korea in 1973. Her reply? "They only say "Annyonghashimnikka" in books from a long time ago." Sigh. I guess 1973 really was a long time ago. I've adapted and now I only say "Anyong haseo."