Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens !!

D500+500PF on one of those 5+ mile walks.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2iSk​i3r

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #19049683
D500+500PF on one of those 5+ mile walks.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2iSk​i3r 6 days in Florida #64 by MedicineMan4040, on Flickr

Sublime feel to this image, the lighting is nice and even. When are you going on these walks, is it early morning or early evening? Especially in Florida, I can't imagine hiking at midday.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #19049682
Woah! Even nicer.
Agree, beautiful bierds. Maybe someday one will get blown off course and come to my mountains.

If you're up for a drive up to MD, I'll give you the exact location of this Parula

EyeSpyEagle wrote in post #19049043
Finally, something larger than a bee...

Wow! Beautiful Lincoln Sparrow Phil!
Would be a lifer for me! Congrats!

MatthewK wrote in post #19049331
Each of the past three years now, I've met this Northern Parula in the same exact spot at one of my favorite birding spots. He's not afraid of me, it's pretty cool! A birdwatcher stopped by for a few minutes to see what I was focused on, and she says "I swear, you must have him trained, Parulas are usually very timid!". I think I may have a new yearly tradition!

Edited to add: the birdwatcher who I chatted with while taking the photo informed me that the tree in the first photo is a PawPaw Tree. Come to find out, the PawPaw produces the largest edible fruit of any tree in North America, which reportedly tastes like a cross between a mango and banana. I’m definitely looking for some of these when they ripen in the fall!

Great job on this Parula Matt!
One of the most common warblers up here,and I have to disagree with the birder.I find them the most friendly and one of the easier to photograph of the warbler species,at least up here!

mandokid1 wrote in post #19049805
Great job on this Parula Matt!
One of the most common warblers up here,and I have to disagree with the birder.I find them the most friendly and one of the easier to photograph of the warbler species,at least up here!

You know what they say: one birder's Parula is another birder's treasure, or something along those lines We just get so few of them here that it's a special occasion, but yeah, this one was very bold, just wish he could talk his other Warbler buddies into not being so timid! You getting any migrants yet, Denis?

MatthewK wrote in post #19049584
Feels great to "stretch the legs", right? It's beyond therapeutic, and I'd argue that for people like us (photographers in general), not having this as an outlet is a huge challenge to our mental wellbeing.

Are you intending on keeping all of them around then, the DSLRs and MILCs?

Yes indeed, and definitely, yes.

Gorgeous overcast/partly sunny skies, and I got to break away for an hour or two to enjoy it while daughter was napping. So many birds out, they're all caught up in mating and having fun, and aren't paying quite as much attention to me. Still waiting on more migrant Warblers to appear, but for now we've just had Palm and Pine, and the Parula. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are out in force too, fun little fellows:

Beautiful work! I really need to start looking for the little gems around us. Maybe we even have them in my area.

MatthewK wrote in post #19049811
You know what they say: one birder's Parula is another birder's treasure, or something along those lines We just get so few of them here that it's a special occasion, but yeah, this one was very bold, just wish he could talk his other Warbler buddies into not being so timid! You getting any migrants yet, Denis?

Yes,Parula,s are very co-operative,on breeding grounds,but I cant get far enough north for Blackpoll,and Orange-crowned,that I don't have except for fall birds.No roads to get to them,so have to try and intercept them on the way up!Getting some Flycatchers,Thrashers,​Sparrows,and some warblers coming through,but it,s been cold here,so that,s slowed things down.Strong north winds,and the birds aren,t moving north till they get favourable south winds.Got really good Brown thrasher,and a lifer for me,a Vesper Sparrow,Shot out of the car with 5dmk4/600mmf/4 combo.Still prefer this combo for low light situations!

MatthewK wrote in post #19050218
Gorgeous overcast/partly sunny skies, and I got to break away for an hour or two to enjoy it while daughter was napping. So many birds out, they're all caught up in mating and having fun, and aren't paying quite as much attention to me. Still waiting on more migrant Warblers to appear, but for now we've just had Palm and Pine, and the Parula. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are out in force too, fun little fellows:

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This same Pine Warbler is hanging about over in Owl Woods, wonder when he'll be moving on...

Excellent detailed shots Matt!
These guys are starting to trickle in up here,but I,m concentrating on sparrows,and such trying to get co-operative males before the females show up!

This Rose-ringed parakeet visited a tree nearby. They are slowly taking control of the city, but I wonder if they will ever feel "native"...

Chris1966 wrote in post #19050728
This Rose-ringed parakeet visited a tree nearby. They are slowly taking control of the city, but I wonder if they will ever feel "native"...

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Hosted photo: posted by Chris1966 in
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Nice captures, Chris. That must be an odd sighting, being wild in the city. When you say they are taking control, are they there in big numbers?

There is a particular spot at an area lake that has a colony of Monk Parakeets. To me, that is one of the strangest birding finds in our area.

I thought my Screech Owls had left for the season. When I went out to check the mail yesterday Momma was in the box. Guess I need to pay more attention. :-/

This one definitely says something for the VR in the 500PF. 700mm, @ 1/125 sec, hand held.

Z50, 500PF, 1.4xTC

MatthewK wrote in post #19050218
Gorgeous overcast/partly sunny skies, and I got to break away for an hour or two to enjoy it while daughter was napping. So many birds out, they're all caught up in mating and having fun, and aren't paying quite as much attention to me. Still waiting on more migrant Warblers to appear, but for now we've just had Palm and Pine, and the Parula. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are out in force too, fun little fellows:

Hosted photo: posted by MatthewK in
./showthread.php?p=190​50218&i=i54312936
forum: Nikon Lenses

This same Pine Warbler is hanging about over in Owl Woods, wonder when he'll be moving on...

Hosted photo: posted by MatthewK in
./showthread.php?p=190​50218&i=i27263383
forum: Nikon Lenses

These are both beautifully captured & presented Matt.

I'm glad to see you getting some nice action after the winter drought.

EyeSpyEagle wrote in post #19051119
Nice captures, Chris. That must be an odd sighting, being wild in the city. When you say they are taking control, are they there in big numbers?

There is a particular spot at an area lake that has a colony of Monk Parakeets. To me, that is one of the strangest birding finds in our area.

They were "introduced" unintentionally (but entirely forseeable) in the late 70's when they were fore sale at a tenner at large warehouses, brought in from India and central Afrika. Of course they made far too much noise, and what must have seemed a nice present to one of your children, was soon something to get rid off. Being the seventies (you know, hippies and freedom for all and return to nature) quite a few people simply let them out into "the wild". For years, only a few pairs survived, but from halfway into the 90's the newborns made themselves at home and slowly colonies started to form.

They are viewed as a pest now, with the colonies growing steadily in the cities, where they have found a way to survive and breed. But I see it a little different, they did not ask to be brought over here after all, and not being a migratory bird, they had no way to get back to Afrika, let alone India. So I sort of admire their successful effort to make a life for themselves in our cities and parks. There must be around 10.000 now in Holland, 28.000 in Belgium! I have seen their slow but steady ascent, culminating in having one visit a tree nearby recently. They sleep in large groups, and often you can witness their activity of assembling for the night. Their colors obviously are ill matched with our environment and with other birds. They will never be a real pest though, because their breeding success remains limited, but for sure they are here to stay.

B.t.w. these images were about the first from my new combo: Z7+500PF+1.4TC, but today I tried the Z7+500PF (bare) out, and that combo really impresses me. There are a lot of good things to say about it. I really like the clarity of IQ and consistency of auto focus. Nikon must have come some ways from firmware 1.0 to version 3.0, because if the AF is truly hopeless, I am just not seeing it. The Z7 nails it with the 500PF, no hunting and hardly any variation, mostly all spot-on. The only downside really, is that the lens does not always travel straight to the plane of focus, but sometimes travels beyond, turns back one or two times, and then hits focus. That happens very quickly, but it is annoying, and if Nikon can get that out, than it really is starting to impress. Just travel to the plane of focus, land there and fire the shutter, that is how it should be consistently. I would love to see Matthew try one out, just to hear his impressions. I know he did not like the EOS-R, and felt he could not pin point small birds in amongst the braches, but the Z7 sure does in my experience.
Also very nice is the FF coverage with ability to move your focus point around left to right, up and down, and it works with the same spot-on AF right into the corners. The joystick is great, it is so easy to place the AF point anywhere you like.
I also like the EVF a lot. I always hated the Sony A7RII's EVF, which is like a little crappy tv screen (I still use that body with the Loxias!). The EOS-R's EVF was also nice, but the Z7's EVF somehow is so clear and natural, that I can see the subjects better than throught the D500's OVF. What also had me sceptical, was the experience with the A7RII's (efcs) shutter, which is sluggish and just not a high framerate shutter. The Z7's shutter is great, very soft, no slap of any kind, but not at all sluggish, just quick and lean. I tried out Hi+, and was amazed being used to the Hi framerate mode of the Sony A7RII.
I can now finally use the VR "normal" mode, which is hardly useable with the D500, apparently due to the vibration from the shutter/mirror assembly. With the Z7, I can easily go down to 1/200s with VR normal.
The ergonomics and build quality are also so much better and nicer than those of the the Sony A7RII.

I hope Nikon will get a few more firmware updates out before dropping support for the Z7! All in all, I think it is a great body.