Please Advice for Direction/s.

I am so glad I found photography. I like it so much, I want too much but I do not know where to start and what to add to my gear box.

Currently, I own
Gripped Canon 40D
Tamron 17-50mm + Hoya UV + B&W CPL
Canon 55-250mm
Canon 50mm F/1.8
Canon 430 EXII Flash
Tripod,
Wireless RC/Triggers

I enjoy shooting photo over all except lately I really enjoy bird / wild life shooting. I also really like to take macro but I do not own any real macro lens yet. I also want to get into doing portrait with a setup at home including lighting, back drop, umbrella/softbox and all that studio stuffs. So, I am so confuse and do not know which direction to take. Wild life and macro photo are just for fun as a hobby, but family portrait is the real deal that I want since I also enjoy shooting people and the interaction with others. Beside, shooting people could generate a small amount of $$$ for new gears .

1. For wild life, I had my eyes on the Sigma 150-500mm lens
2. For macro, I had my eyes on either the Canon marco 60mm or 100mm F/2.8
3. For the home studio setup is a whole difference animal b/c it would require many more equipments.

I have a budget of about 1 - 2K to spend and my wife keep pushing me to spend it as she see how I enjoy photography. I know I can't have all three options with that budget so please help me to enlighting my confusing head with your advices.

Greatly appreciated your help.
Thanks in advance and good day!

You could start macro by simply getting a set of extension tubes, and use it with the 50mm lens...only about $120 if you find a used set on POTN. You could also try birds with the 55-250 by adding a 1.4x teleconvertor for less than $200. And while not optimal max aperture, at least you get to try out using long focal length bird shooting. You may well discover that macro stuff is not for you after all, or the same for birds! Wait until you have given both trials with inexpensive add ons, before diving in with expensive lenses. Teleconvertors are always nice to have, even if shooting birds loses its interest. And extension tubes are also nice for tighter cropped portraits, even if macro work is not so interesting either.

Thanks Wilt.
I will read more about Extension tube + 50mm for macro. Look like a great & cheap way to try out. As for the 1.4x teleconvertor + 55-250mm, I thought many people said that the quality was bad ?

Tigerkn wrote in post #9689526
As for the 1.4x teleconvertor + 55-250mm, I thought many people said that the quality was bad ?

The point is to try out shooting birds, to see if you like it, even if the IQ might not be optimal! And teleconvertors do not seriously degrade good performing lenses...the Canon 70-200 f/4 is scarcely affected by a good teleconvertor.

I will keep my eyes open for a set of used ET for macro to try out with the 50mm for the mean time unless a good deal show up for either the 60mm or 100mm.
More advices are greatly appreciated.

I made up my mind and going to skip the Extension Tube to use with the 50mm. I want to get either the Macro 60mm or 100mm to use with my only crop body "40D". I plan to spend around $300 b/c I still want to pick up a telephoto (Sigma 50-150/Canon 70-200 f/4 IS; non-IS or Sigma 70-200 f/2.8)
60mm:
Pro
* Fit the budget better
* Smaller than 100mm
* Better on crop body to use for indoor portrait.
Con
* Too close to the Tamron focal length that I already have (17-50mm)
100mm:
Pro
* Better for strictly Macro purposes vs. 60mm due to clearance to object.
* Ready for FF
Con
* Over budget
* Too long for indoor portrait.
* Can't use much as walk around lens.

Please help me to make the decision.
Thanks.