I am going to say that you will probably have a hard time doing bird photography with that camera. I had a G2 for a while, and while it was good for still objects that were close to you, once something started moving, it couldn't keep up. As far as what is a good focal length, that is relative. If you are at a zoo and can get within 10 feet of a stationary bald eagle, you will get some good shots. However, in the wild, most birds don't let you get that close. They will fly away, hence the need for a longer focal length lens. I was using a 300mm for a while and got some good shots, but I also found I had to crop a bit to get the perspective I wanted. I now have a 400mm lens and it has made a world of difference. The following two pictures were taken at 300mm, so it shows you can get some good shots at 280mm, which is close enough.
Sorry for such a long response. I am not an expert bird photographer, but I have been doing this for the past few years so I thought I would share what I learned. To sum it up, you really should have 300mm or more IF you want close up shots. Also, you will be much more successful if you have a longer focal length because you can take a picture from farther away and not scare off the bird.
Hope this helps a little, and good luck. Just start shooting pictures and see what you get. You will know really quickly if that camera's lens will suffice.
Nothing else but a 512MB card
