The bluebirds are feeding chicks again in the nest box in our yard. I took some more shots this morning of them bringing in goodies to the nest. This first shot is of the female.
Any
Is this a composite: No
Canon 90D, Sigma 150-600 C, tripod
ISO 800, f8, 1/3200s
Really nice looks at these two, Allen. It’s always fun to watch this activity. I didn’t have Bluebirds this year. I think our frigid winter took it’s toll on them. Anyway, good details and backgrounds, and excellent behavioral shots.
Very cool, Allen. Did you prefocus on an area in front of the box or are your reflexes just super good? In any case, far better than I’ve ever gotten. Our first batch has fledged but the parents aren’t bringing them in for mealworms yet. That should be happening in a day or two.
Spectaculair images. Even though a fixed nesting box will make things a bit easier, still it desire good skills. Well done, Allen ! I like both images, though the female shows the food a little nicer 
! Congrats ! Hans
Wonderful!! I really admire the skill and planning to get shots like this!
I’ve tried being on a fixed tripod and pre-focused, and hitting the shutter in burst mode when they start to come in, but I haven’t had good results.
@terryb , @Dennis_Plank , @Hans_Overduin, @Diane_Miller
Thank you for the comments everyone!
Dennis, I pre-focus on the nest box hole then move the viewfinder to see the area just in front of the box. Then burst away as the bluebirds come to the box.
Outstanding, Allen, as the others have said. Truly wonderful captures and very nicely done.
Hi Allen
Out standing photograph of this female Bluebird. Maybe it is just the difference in backgrounds, but for once the female is showing better color the than male. Great foresight on this photograph.
Peter
Regardless of how you set this up, this is an excellent image. Yes, it helps to have a focal point preset but all the elements of a quality image are there. One needs to be a keen observer of avian behavior in order to pull this off. The detail, wing/body position, background are all there. I do prefer the first image to the second but they are both excellent.
Thanks, for the info, Allen. I’ll have to give this some more work when they have their next brood this summer (assuming they do).
@Dennis_Plank @Diane_Miller @Hans_Overduin @linda_mellor @David_Schoen @terryb @Peter_Morrissey
Since some of you have mentioned having trouble getting results with this technique, I thought I’d share the type of box I have been using, the Gilbertson Bluebird Box. Since the box top is a flat piece of wood, the birds can sit on the box above the nest hole before flying in. I think this helps them line up the nest hole and stay in the plane of focus. Also, I have had no issues with sparrows or cowbirds so I would definitely recommend it. See below for a picture of the box. I believe it is available on Amazon.
Hi Allen
Thank you for the information on this bird house.
Ps
Now that you have spent almost a year photographing bird with the Canon 90, what would say it’s plus or minus are? I would like to up grade from my 7dll, but $3,900 for a r5 & $2,700 for a 100-500mm plus adding a
1.4x … adds up. I was hopping Canon would come out with a C-crop mirrorless body.
Peter
Another couple of shots that show up how much I have to learn about bird photography. These are terrific, but especially the female. The way the wings are positioned and the individual feathers - just shows how perfectly evolved flight is in birds. The tail, too, is warped and shaped to control her path and landing. Outstanding work.
Peter, I hear rumors that a Canon mirrorless crop sensor R7 is coming out before too long. You may want to wait for that. As for the 90D, I like the additional megapixels but the buffer runs out of room too quickly. Autofocus I’d say is fair for birds in flight. I’m hoping a mirrorless R7 would be a significant upgrade in autofocus.
Hi Allen
Thank you for the information. I guess we both are waiting on Canon.
Peter
Allen, I am coming in late on this. I wrote a nice review early on, and the system never finished saving it when I hit reply. Something was just going on at NPN site at the time I guess. I meant to get back to this image, and this morning I noticed it made Editor’s Pick, and that reminded me.
It is a wonderful in flight shot of the Bluebird with dinner on the way to the babies. Love the wing position too.
I am trying to refrain from going mirrorless yet. I am not able to go and do much photography past my yard right now anyway, and, I have good bodies, so maybe down the road they will have even improved the technology as well as come down on the price. I was impressed with the review on B&H OPTIC Event this week by George Lepp, and what he could accomplish with the R5, and some of the long lenses.
Thank you for sharing the nest box image. Ours has a slanted top as most do, but they have been perching on top, and then make their decent to the hole. That is an interesting box though, and if I ever need another will try to keep that in mind.
Congratulations on a great image and Editor’s Pick!
Well deserved, a stellar pose you captured here ! Cheers, Hans
