Camera Updates, Sparrows, Snapping Turtles, etc.
We've got kind of a smorgasbord for ya...
First, an update on the crippled NovaBird remote, movement-triggered camera... We finally received the new battery, and it's holding a charge like a champ. But, (you just knew there was a "but" in there somewhere didn't you?) the device will only remain "on" for a few minutes. The oriole photo below is from the partially-resurrected Nova' cam'.
The camera "wants" to work, but something still just ain't right. Time will tell... The simple fact may be that 5,000 to 10,000 pics is a max for the rig... Again, time will tell...
Onward...
Well, the sparrows seem quite happy in their house... The young ones should be fledging soon...
That should be interesting...
For what it's worth, the photo above was shot with the little Vivitar 8600s (8.1 MP). Obviously the picture is nothing to write home about. Neither is the snapshot below of a rabbit taken with the very respectable Canon EOS Rebel XT 8MP...
(And yes I know about handling "red-eye", etc. I'm just not very good at it yet.) These lousy bunny and sparrow photos illustrate all too well the danger of inadequate "f-stop experience" coupled with inappropriate lenses. Still, given a little luck, and a short focal distance, even the 8600s can more than hold her own.
My guess is that practice and the right lens goes a long way.
One final serving from the smorgasbord... Keep an eye out for snapping turtles. One of the local natural resources mavens has warned that 'tis the season for the turtles to lay eggs... At best, they're not the most social of creatures, and at this time of year... Well... They can get downright cranky. (Kidding aside, snapping turtles have remarkably long necks, and can strike with amazing speed from almost any angle. A full-grown Canadian Goose is no match for a big snapper. Give those terrapins a wide berth! For a first-hand account, check out "Snapping Turtle Saga - Part I" and "Gordon and his Boys Wrestle Snapping Turtle - Part II".)
Time to run... Be safe, and see you by the feeders,
CapeCodAlan
eBirdseed.com photo library
Comments
Re: Snapping turtles - a place where I go to see the swans and their cygnet has hand-lettered signs saying: Please do not try to feed the swans - if they come close to the shore the snapping turtles will get the little ones!!
Something I had never thought of before.
{CCA replies... Yup... I've seen snappers kill geese... Not pretty...}
Posted by: Joanne | June 9, 2008 8:36 PM