Put the Nikkor 600mm f5.6 ais on the 5DS-R today, because I wanted the audible beep for AF confirmation while hand turning the focusing ring. A bad eye day for me + flat light, yet I got something unexpected. I have been having Crows show up every day - multiple times per day for about the last ten days. Today they watched that great black lens waving slowly through the glass from every vantage point possible, but didn't get any of their new favorite food - raw cashews. Yeah, cashews. The birds love Barbs seed cakes, and she had a bag of cashews that were just starting to go off. Now she buys them for the Crows, and it turns out Blue Jays, and Cardinals love em too. And for three days straight Starlings have come. Not in a huge flock during a storm as in the past, but just a handful of them at a time. I had never seen the amazing green and blue back feathers + purple around their head and eyes. Maybe it is breeding plumage? My Crow shots are not Nikkor but you can see them in the link - here are todays shots
dang, your animals eat high on the hog! Strawberries too?
James Markus wrote:
Put the Nikkor 600mm f5.6 ais on the 5DS-R today, because I wanted the audible beep for AF confirmation while hand turning the focusing ring. A bad eye day for me + flat light, yet I got something unexpected. I have been having Crows show up every day - multiple times per day for about the last ten days. Today they watched that great black lens waving slowly through the glass from every vantage point possible, but didn't get any of their new favorite food - raw cashews. Yeah, cashews. The birds love Barbs seed cakes, and she had a bag of cashews that were just starting to go off. Now she buys them for the Crows, and it turns out Blue Jays, and Cardinals love em too. And for three days straight Starlings have come. Not in a huge flock during a storm as in the past, but just a handful of them at a time. I had never seen the amazing green and blue back feathers + purple around their head and eyes. Maybe it is breeding plumage? My Crow shots are not Nikkor but you can see them in the link - here are todays shots
NightOwl Cat wrote:
dang, your animals eat high on the hog! Strawberries too?
I know. When we had seven kids and four chickens there never seemed to be anything to spare. Now that it's just us and the grandkids - everyone's standard of living has improved. I thought Barb wasn't going to get any takers cleaning the fridge and throwing it in the yard. Stale bread, grapes, veggies - Nature is just like chickens - they'll eat anything.
Went to a local soccer game today with the ED 180/2.8 Ais. Manual focusing sports is no joke. But I got some in focus at least. Had to crop this being that 180 is a bit short for shooting soccer.
mjgphotoz wrote:
Jim, you and your little buddy are just showing off!!!
Mary
This is the smallest squirrel in the yard. She came when the others were sleeping or otherwise occupied, and started with a cashew. She held it like it was a tomahawk steak, and just took bite after bite, turning it, studying it - fetched another cashew and did it again. No competition - just peace. Then she grabbed a strawberry and posed on the nub of a branch - leisurely taking bites. It was mesmerizing to watch. She seemed fully aware that this was a muffin top day, and not normal lower grade fare. A little later a crow grabbed a strawberry - washed it in the birdbath - ate half of it then flew off into the cedars with the rest. (photos in the crow album linked before) It is weird realizing that even the birds and squirrels know the difference in the quality of foods. It cost almost nothing to make a couple critters day. All thanks to my lovely generous wife.
My grandmother did the same thing, she'd sop up the bacon fat on the bread too. They're finding "bread", and I'm guessing it's the stuff in the stores, isn't so good for wildlife though. Not sure about the homemade.
James Markus wrote:
I know. When we had seven kids and four chickens there never seemed to be anything to spare. Now that it's just us and the grandkids - everyone's standard of living has improved. I thought Barb wasn't going to get any takers cleaning the fridge and throwing it in the yard. Stale bread, grapes, veggies - Nature is just like chickens - they'll eat anything.
NightOwl Cat wrote:
My grandmother did the same thing, she'd sop up the bacon fat on the bread too. They're finding "bread", and I'm guessing it's the stuff in the stores, isn't so good for wildlife though. Not sure about the homemade.
When Barb doesn't make the bread - I only eat "Pane Turano". It's a famous Chicago Italian bread made by Mariano Turano (or his descendants) for at least 60 years. Flour water salt and yeast. It's the only store bought bread that doesn't make me ill with xanthan gum, preservatives, and all the other nonsense modern companies add to bread. It also is found both in high end stores and discount stores (huge loaves-sometimes they sell half loaves) - so the prices varies quite a bit.
The birds love Barbs seed cakes, and she had a bag of cashews that were just starting to go off. Now she buys them for the Crows, and it turns out Blue Jays, and Cardinals love em too. And for three days straight Starlings have come. Not in a huge flock during a storm as in the past, but just a handful of them at a time. I had never seen the amazing green and blue back feathers + purple around their head and eyes. Maybe it is breeding plumage? My Crow shots are not Nikkor but you can see them in the link - here are todays shots
