New Found Respect for BIF Photographers

I find myself at Nickerson Beach in Lido Beach, NY next to a huge protected nesting area for terns, oyster catchers, etc. I mean there are hundreds and they are flying like, well like birds. First I tried handholding my new 600mm II without much success. Then put it on my RRS tripod and Wimberley II and I suck. I can barely grab focus on a bird. It's like there's just too many. I tried different AF cases, have lens set to 14mm (16?) to infinity and it's just close to impossible to focus and hold focus on a BIF. Yes, it's my first real try but I didn't think it would be this hard.

Pick a bird and track it.
If you try chasing anything that enters your viewfinder its going to be frustrating.

You'll get it.

I was just at Nickerson Beach last week and had a great time. It's way easier if you start tracking the bird when they are farther away. Over time you will be able to swing the 600 to any flying bird

I got maybe, maybe, 2 or 3 decent shots out of about a hundred.

The first one is a really nice shot.

Why am I thinking of Alfred Hitchcock?

They are not easy. So go slow. Start with shorter FL, and slower birds. Best way is to find birds that sit, then fly to catch something, then sit again. Flycatchers, Kingbirds, hawks etc. Then zoom in on them and anticipate when they are about to take off, at that point shoot a burst of 4 or more shots.

If the bird is already in the air then zoom back to get them in the viewfinder, do not zoom in closer until you are actually following them. That'll get you started in the right direction. As the old saying goes 'practice, practice.practice'.

Here's sequence done by the sit;fly, sit I described. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (not the best, but the first I could dig up that illustrated this.)

Mark, sorry you're struggling with that 600mm...maybe you can save your nickels and dimes for the 1200mm!

OhLook wrote in post #17024987
Why am I thinking of Alfred Hitchcock?

Age?

tonylong wrote in post #17026470
Mark, sorry you're struggling with that 600mm...maybe you can save your nickels and dimes for the 1200mm!

It's a 1200 with the 2x TC III, duh.

And on one of them crap sensor cameras it's a 9000mm. Sheesh.

The skimmer shot is great!

Just shoot lots, like hundreds of shots! At first you may want all 10FPS

There's some good advice in the bird talk forum.

the longer the FL, narrower the FOV, the harder it is. I struggle with the 500mm, so the 600mm is no easy task at all.

Terns are REALLY FAST and REALLY ERRATIC flyers!

Last week I was in Maine and was shooting a lot of terns and some Osprey diving for fish. Osprey seemed like slow motion cap pared to the terns. The osprey start their dive from 100 or more feet up and tend to go in a very straight line.
Terns can start from anywhere between 60 feet above the water down to 4 feet, and they change direction and flip over constantly.

If you think common or Caspian terns are tough, then try a "least tern" they are like sparrows on crack. (your tern shot didn't leave me much chance to ID but I think common tern)

MDJAK wrote in post #17016585
I find myself at Nickerson Beach in Lido Beach, NY next to a huge protected nesting area for terns, oyster catchers, etc. I mean there are hundreds and they are flying like, well like birds. First I tried handholding my new 600mm II without much success. Then put it on my RRS tripod and Wimberley II and I suck. I can barely grab focus on a bird. It's like there's just too many. I tried different AF cases, have lens set to 14mm (16?) to infinity and it's just close to impossible to focus and hold focus on a BIF. Yes, it's my first real try but I didn't think it would be this hard.

For years I shot with a 300 and a 400. Once I jumped to 600 the learning curve wasn't as steep as those who never shot with large glass before but it was certainly something one needs to overcome.

Practice, Practice, Practice is key, and some luck!

MDJAK wrote in post #17037837
It's a 1200 with the 2x TC III, duh.

And on one of them crap sensor cameras it's a 9000mm. Sheesh.

1200 x 2 x 1.4 = 9000??? kinda late for April Fools dontcha think? Of course not to many postings back it was merely a 600mm....my how fast they grow up.:p