This group has gone to the birds. (YES!)

[usonian]

Found this one basking in the sun.

Taken with a Nikon Coolpix P510, effective focal length 1000mm.

It is pleasing that both the white feathers and the darker ones come out nicely. Couldn't ask for better lighting. And nice for such a tiny sensor, about 1/6 of full frame.

I would have missed this but the bird kept calling attention to itself.

Thanks!

[sprinkleeninow]

1. They do dat sometimes. Have a knack for desiring us to notice them.🐦

Loving your photos! 😍

[usonian]

7. Thanks!

I think that after some 50 years of snapping photos, it's an official compulsion.
Nice one, though.

[Anon-C]

9. Ok

[Walleye]

2. Really nice. Do you know what kind of bird it is?

I caught this cardinal singing at the top of the forsythia bush the other day

[2naSalit]

3. Looks like a finch...

There are many or possibly a flycatcher of some sort.

[usonian]

4. Neighbor thinks it's a great crested flycatcher. nt.

[Walleye]

5. It could be. I had one of those land on my porch one and had a little crest and it was greenish

[2naSalit]

6. That's the camera...

I have been using for eight years, I have thousands of nice pictures that I should make into calendars and cards. I will get around to that when I finish my other project I had in the works.

I am thinking of buying a new camera but haven't been shopping yet, I haven't taken many pictures the past couple years, maybe that will perk up my enthusiasm.

[usonian]

8. The camera has served me well for a long time.

I decided to treat myself for a change when the mandatory IRA distribution rolled in, so my main goal was to get a 20mm (or equivalent lens). I looked at all formats (35mm, 2 1/4, 4x5) and decided to go with a mirrorless and the new Nikon 20mm f/1.8. I never had a field of view wider than the 24mm (74 degrees horizontal) and there really is a world of difference going to 20mm.

If I *really* wanted to go bird-crazy, the newer coolpix models are equivalent to 2000 and 3000 mm. and even have a "bird" preset.

Lest people think that I am a Nikon salesperson, I have owned various other makes in the past and considered others carefully. The lens made the choice for me, and the fact that my collection of old Nikkors all work fine in manual focus mode with the FTZ adapter helped.

Living in a "photographer's paradise" helps, though I am a bit short of flower photos --- I get whatever the deer don't eat, and that's precious few. I'll post some Indian Paintbrush in a while. We had a bumper crop this year. Mule-ear daisies will bloom in a while.



You can almost see the fuzz on the "ears". (hence the name)
The coolpix does rather well when you choose "macro" mode.
The new camera doesn't ask. It just seems to know. Go figure.
The advantage of "point and shoot" cameras with outstanding zoom is that they are SEALED.

[AndyS]

10. It's not the sensor or the Pixels, it's the PICTURE! NT

[usonian]

11. Dear Andy

I don't brag on my talent, because that's not my style.

I'll give credit to good luck, or persistence, or the optics (I was an optical engineer) instead.

Just being me.

Enjoy the pictures. Who reads the fine print anyway?

[AndyS]

15. Oh! An optical engineer! In what capacity for who? I knew a few from my Olympus Camera days.

Not much glamor for them, they just kept their heads down and produced amazing products.

[usonian]

16. I worked in aerospace.

Don't want to bore you, Optical systems engineering. Mostly Itek and Lockheed.

Never any photographic stuff per-se, but I learned a ton about lens design and photographic optics on my own. I do have a nice collection of books on photographic optics. Neblette's book has all the classic designs (lens outlines for pre-DSLR days of all the popular brands in all focal lengths and formats)

Any more, I should discuss offline (as in DU mail or other). I just enjoy understanding what's inside, how it works, and then doing amazing (beautiful) things with the tech. Right and left brain both cooperating, and that's my interesting life.

[HAB911]

12. Beautiful! Personally..............

I will never have enough birds!

[George McGovern]

13. Neat close-up usonian!

[usonian]

14. Thanks for the compliments, everyone!

The bird is off the chart cute. And the hairdo is so wild.

Forgot to mention that my neighbor thinks it's a flycatcher because of the distinctive beak.

[StarryNite]

17. Beautiful!

I love bird pictures.