Birdy by the feeder (pics included)

[Steve Foss]

I wanted to get out into the woods this afternoon, but other commitments prevented me. Gotta get rid of a few commitments, I reckon.

Meanwhile, I did have time to sit in the backyard blind for a couple hours late in the afternoon, and here's what happened in front of the Canon 20D, Canon 100-400L IS at 400mm, iso200, 1/400-1/800 at f8 . . .

Male white-throated sparrow

Female pine grosbeak

Male common redpoll

Female common redpoll

[mcary]

Very nice Steve! Unfortunately, I never get much other than chickadees at my feeder. Love the mix of northern species.

[Steve Foss]

Michael, you get that first administrative job and you'll be living with the rich and famous east of 21st Ave. Lots of trees and bushes in that part of Duluth! Heck, unless the black-oil sunflower seed in the feeders is roasted and peeled over on the east side, the birds don't even look twice at it.

You can call it the Mcary Bird Sanctuary and Spa, and make birders pay $30 apiece to drive in the gates for a tour.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

wow those are great! how close is the blind to the subjects?

i finally got my new lens [28-300L IS] and am hoping to get some shots of mergansers this weekend. alot of birds of all kinds moving through this area now.

[Steve Foss]

My lens is six feet from the closest perch and eight feet from the farthest one. Minimum focus distance on the 100-400 is 1.8 meters, I believe, which is just under six feet.

Have fun with that 28-300L IS. Sweet glass with a lot of range.