Some Common Garden Birds

Singing Robin in a Cherry Tree (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Sigma 150-500mm DG APO HSM f/5.6-6.3 lens at 500mm, ISO 1250, 1/500 sec at f/7.1, Tripod & Cable Shutter Release)

Due to the damp overcast day today I was hunting around for something to do photographically and inspired by an article in Outdoor Photography I decided to try and set something up for some garden bird shots.  The article suggested attaching a cutting from a tree/busg to a bird table, to act as a perch for birds waiting to feed, thus providing a natural looking prop for the birds.  Instead I decided to set up a couple of feeders in some young regenerating wild cherry trees near our lounge window.  I set my tripod and camera up in the lounge with the window open and waited for some birds to come.  I had high hopes of goldfinch, siskin and maybe even a blackcap as a male was singing from tiem to time in the garden.  Unfortunately, only the more common robin, great tit and chaffinch graced me with their presence, but it was useful practice with the big lens.

All these shots were taken using my Sigma 150-500mm lens and the Canon 5D Mark II combination.  The light was not great so I had to use a fairly high ISO, getting up to 1250, so there is a bit of background noise, but it allowed some good fast shutterspeeds to freeze the motion of these active little birds.

Great Tit with Nest Material (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Sigma 150-500mm DG APO HSM f/5.6-6.3 lens at 500mm, ISO 1000, 1/500 sec at f/9.0, Tripod & Cable Shutter Release)

Great Tit (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Sigma 150-500mm DG APO HSM f/5.6-6.3 lens at 500mm, ISO 1250, 1/400 sec at f/8.0, Tripod & Cable Shutter Release)

Skulking Male Chaffinch (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Sigma 150-500mm DG APO HSM f/5.6-6.3 lens at 500mm, ISO 1000, 1/500 sec at f/8.0, Tripod & Cable Shutter Release)

Robin (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Sigma 150-500mm DG APO HSM f/5.6-6.3 lens at 500mm, ISO 400, 1/160 sec at f/10, Tripod & Cable Shutter Release)