Feed Me!

The Chickadee chicks are getting big and keeping the parents busy feeding them.

They also make a mess that the parents have to carry away.

It won't be much longer and they'll all say sayonara to the birdhouse.

Wow these are amazing photos. How did you get the timing right or do you take a lot within split seconds of each other to get the right shot?

Really a great catch, Jim. Makes me think of what I learned a long time ago. A baby (anything) is just an alimentary canal with an appetite on one end and no conscience on the other. Rich

Well captured Jim. Notice the difference in colour of the bird house between the two shots. WB issue I guess. We have a bird house that may be in worse shape than yours. It has wrens in it, I think. They won't come near it if I hang around there so I don't in case there are young birds inside. I should sit outdoors here with the 400 and see if I can catch anything. I might dose off though!

Andrew

Thanks. ProCapture is the ticket. Just wish I had a faster lens, mine will only allow 25fps - if I had a Pro tele and could do 50fps I'd have a better selection of shots.

They were taken at different times, one much brighter sunlight than the other.
I did quite a bit of local adjustment on the first one, bringing down the highlights and raising the shadows to get everything to show up clearly.
Didn't think about posting the other to look similar - just to look ok.

I was pretty far from the birdhouse (14.6m according to the EXIF) sitting on our patio.
I tried another chair 2m closer and they wouldn't go to the house, just flit around the nearby trees and bushes chattering at me.

One technique for bird houses is to put your camera on a tripod, and set the parameters you want to use. Then enable wifi/bluetooth mode connecting it to a smartphone or tablet. Leave the camera there, and go to an area where you won't scare the birds away (such as in the house or possibly further away) and use the touch screen on the phone/tablet to take the pictures.

If you are sitting outside further away, you could use an appropriate shutter release (RM-UC1, RM-CB2, or RM-WR1) to fire the camera without using the phone/tablet app. If you use the wired shutter releases (RM-UC1 or RM-CB2), be sure to not pull on the shutter release which might bring the camera crashing down (BTDT).

I imagine another option is to use interval shooting, and just take pictures every 5 seconds or so. This would result in a lot of pictures that you want to junk, and you might miss some things.

Nice capture, Jim .. need to spend more time with them and they'll get use to your presence and let you come closer … or they'll find another apartment next year …. 25fps ? I have the impression I'm getting 50fps with the M1.2 and the same lens ….. are you combining ProCap with Bird AI someway on the OM1? ...

WhyNot

Yeah, good captures. Especially the first. But what's happening in #2? Is daddy LEAVING the nest with the loot?

Thanks Charlotte.
Which ever parent it is, it is removing excrement.
They try to clean up after the babies.
And I thought changing diapers was bad!
😝

Yes. I'm using ProCap SH2 with Subject Detection set to Bird.
SH2 is supposed to refocus between each shot and is capable of up to 50fps with a Pro lens.
With others, it does 25fps.
If you are shooting 50fps on the EM1.2, it isn't refocusing between frames.
Maybe I should try a higher f/stop and SH1 - then I'd get single focus and 120fps.

Too late now. The birds have flown the coup (the bird house is empty today).

Their poop looks like crackers? 😨

Baby birds's poop comes out encased in a covering of thick mucus to make it easier for the parents to carry it away and keep the nest clean. Aren't you glad you asked?

Lynne

NO! I am glad I am not a bird!

Andrew

And square in shape? 😀

I just looked closer at the picture in question. What is being carried away sure does look like a small square cracker. What it is I have no idea.

Lynne

Told you! 😂