Finally got a clear shot of the red-bellied woodpecker after a month of trying

Honestly, I had to pick between moving my feeder station or just buying a better camera lens. My old setup was under a big maple tree, which was great for shade but made every photo super dark and blurry. I saved up for about six weeks and got a basic 75-300mm lens instead of moving everything around. Tbh, the first few days were frustrating because I still couldn't get the focus right on the fast little guys. But this morning, I sat out there with my coffee before work and he landed right on the suet cage. I must have taken twenty pictures, and one of them came out perfectly sharp, you can even see the red patch on his belly. Has anyone else had better luck with changing their gear instead of changing the birds' spot?

2 comments

2 Comments

tessa17716d ago

Ngl, that 75-300mm was a solid choice. I had the same fight with shadows from my roof overhang. Honestly, getting a lens that lets in more light is almost always better than moving the feeder. The birds get used to a spot and you'll scare them off setting up a new one. Took me forever to learn that patience with the new gear is key, just like you said with the coffee and the wait.

jessicaw1116d ago

Totally agree with @tessa177, patience is the hardest part with new gear.