Official Bird & Nature Post

keenfish

Duke status
May 12, 2002
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Nice. I have that same lens but honestly haven't used it much since I got it. I always have the 100-400 ready to go and seldom switch to the 300. I shoot with the 7DII which is a very similar body.
The new 100-400 looks awesome. I want it. I had the push-pull version but it just wasn't very sharp at full reach. The new version seems really good all the way through. I'll be getting one someday.
 

keenfish

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May 12, 2002
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Sweeeet! Do you use the gimbal for surf photos as well?
Hi Bud! That tripod set up I use almost exclusively for surf photography and the ball head with swing arm is a game changer over a pan and tilt head. Admittedly, I haven't taken many surf shots for a while. I'll have to remedy that. :)
 

ghostshaper

Phil Edwards status
Jan 22, 2005
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I've seen elk from a distance in Jackson, and I've seen some moose up close there. I don't want those problems.

I'd say 6' diameter boil a board length away from me, at the top of a rip at low tide at Mayport last week. It's easy to sit there and tell yourself you'll catch a set every 15 minutes in bath water to try to maintain some level of surfing sharpness when motivating during the post-work burn. Did not see/hear a turtle/manatee/porpoise surface. I can never shake the "f--k me if I wind up bleeding out for this" second-guessing in barely rideable trade swell in high summer.

What's the gnarliest thing you might come across scouting trout streams or mushrooms or blueberries? Wolf? Bear? Moose? Mother badger?
On our Alaska trip, my youngest son and I had tickets to ride the park bus out to Mt. Denali early one morning. As soon as we started to walk to the bus stop from our campsite, I saw a couple at the next site down waving at us and pointing in the trees. We immediately heard something BIG crashing through the trees and brush. My son was standing in front of me, so I wrapped an arm around him and got ready to sprint back to the van. I thought it was a grizzly. In my head, I was trying to figure out how I could get the door open and throw him inside, while I was holding him w/ one arm.

Before I could start carrying him to the van, I saw a moose cow and her two calves run right behind our van past our site. I instantly felt relieved, realizing how lucky we were that we were in front of our van, not behind it (probably would've been trampled).

On the same trip, but earlier, while we were in Banff, we unknowingly got pretty close to a grizzly (it was across the two lane road while we were riding our mtb on the other side of the road). Saw cars pull over and a ranger yelling at them to get back in their cars. Figured it was a moose. I climbed the bank on our side of the road and realized it was a grizzly grazing in the field. Got back on the bike and got out of there. Didn't feel too threatened b/c there were people walking on the trail we were on.
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Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
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I've seen elk from a distance in Jackson, and I've seen some moose up close there. I don't want those problems.

I'd say 6' diameter boil a board length away from me, at the top of a rip at low tide at Mayport last week. It's easy to sit there and tell yourself you'll catch a set every 15 minutes in bath water to try to maintain some level of surfing sharpness when motivating during the post-work burn. Did not see/hear a turtle/manatee/porpoise surface. I can never shake the "f--k me if I wind up bleeding out for this" second-guessing in barely rideable trade swell in high summer.

What's the gnarliest thing you might come across scouting trout streams or mushrooms or blueberries? Wolf? Bear? Moose? Mother badger?
Sorry I missed this. Cougar, for sure. I've only crossed paths with one a couple times over the years and they are incredibly gnarly in person. Just the way they move or something triggers a primal terror part of my brain. I've ran into many black bear but only had one or two instances where I felt nervous such as when they have cubs but overall they are usually very fearful of humans in my experience. Maybe a little unexpected but the yellowjacket and especially bald faced hornet nests are probably one of the things I am most cautious about. They can live in the ground and if you stumble into a nest they can engulf you before you know what's happening. I've been absolutely wrecked by them before and while I am not deathly allergic it still sucks pretty bad especially if you have a long hike home.
 

GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,151
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West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
The new 100-400 looks awesome. I want it. I had the push-pull version but it just wasn't very sharp at full reach. The new version seems really good all the way through. I'll be getting one someday.
I have the original push pull and really like it. I've experimented with the new one and the main thing is how much faster it focuses. It locks on in half the time compared with the first generation and the first generation isn't exactly slow.
 
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GromsDad

Duke status
Jan 21, 2014
54,151
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West of the Atlantic. East of the ICW.
Hi Bud! That tripod set up I use almost exclusively for surf photography and the ball head with swing arm is a game changer over a pan and tilt head. Admittedly, I haven't taken many surf shots for a while. I'll have to remedy that. :)
I've tried using two different tripods for shooting surfing and I find it to be annoying. Both have pan/tilt heads. I just shoot handheld. Perhaps if I was shooting reefs where the action is far away and in a defined area but I'm mostly shooting beach breaks and the action is spread out. Does a head like you're using give you freedom similar to being hand held?

159989951_10215102342110740_6128496551151812216_n (1).jpg
 
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kelly7873

Nep status
Jan 20, 2002
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Honolulu
Pretty sure it was a cottonmouth. Meanass snake.
very aggressive.
It looks like a cottonmouth to me too. The snake in the photo is very heavy bodied and the stripe pattern looks like a cottonmouth. To be sure you would need a better photo of it's head. A cottonmouth's head will be much wider then it's neck and it's pupil's will be cat like slits.
From all I've read, descriptions of cottonmouths being very aggressive is a myth.
 

keenfish

Duke status
May 12, 2002
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Does a head like you're using give you freedom similar to being hand held?
It's actually way better. It moves effortlessly in every direction while keeping the camera perfectly level always. Once you have it levelled you can shoot in any direction and the horizon will remain level at all times.
It's also nice not having to hold the camera for hours at a time.
The best ball heads are from Really Right Stuff and Kirk.
https://www.reallyrightstuff.com/
https://www.kirkphoto.com/

The swing arm attachment is the Wimberly Sidekick.
https://www.tripodhead.com/products/sidekick-main.cfm
 

Hump

Phil Edwards status
Jan 10, 2002
5,909
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Vancouver Island
Been trying for Tyee these past few weeks and despite it being a decent year with better numbers of them around, I can't get one in the boat.

Monday past I had a buddy out for only his third try and we hooked a fish that put up a good scrap but when finally beside my rowboat proved to be a small one, probably mid 20's. Away it went. We were looking for something over 30.
Guy thinks I'm a fishing genius 'cause I've had him out three times and hooked him up all three times. Sadly, none were big enough.

Tuesday past I rowed a couple of old pals and hooked them both up, with Bill breaking his off, (second time he's done that) and Karl getting his to the boat after an incredible scrap, so good it had us all believing this had to be a Tyee for sure, but alas, when I netted it I saw right away it wasn't big enough. Still, at 24 lbs. and after a 20 minute battle it was a fun way to end the evening.

Here it is.
RSCN6875.JPG

As mentioned, it's been a decent year compared to the past few so here are a few pics of Tyee caught so far.

This one was 42 1/2 lbs. and caught by a woman. Her husband was on the oars and the fish took a spoon.
Tyee15.jpg


Here's one of my favorite rod-holders who I'm trying to get into the Tyee Club.
Hooked her up a couple of years ago into what looked really good, but it came off on a jump some 50' away from the boat.
Barbless hooks.
SharonScarfDave.jpg

So far the only category I'm leading in is this one.
Best Foul-Hooked Kelp Greenling.
We might win it this year.
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Take care.