Biggest Week in American Birding! Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — A couple of things. When I should have been doing my Pic for today post this morning, I was on a plane from Portland to Detroit on my way to the Biggest Week in American Birding for a few days. I am doing a couple of Point and Shoot for Warbler workshops and one on the 7 Fold Path to Better Birding. So my posting schedule may be a bit off over the next days. Magee Marsh on the shore of Lake Erie is THE place to put a new camera to the test. Photographing warblers feeding in dense brush and foliage is one of the greatest challenges for any camera, or any photographer. A good place to see whether my new Olympus OM-1 and the 100-400 zoom is up to the task. This morning I encountered this Ruby-crowned Kinglet out on the boardwalk at Magee, and anyone who has tried will be happy to tell you that if there is one bird harder to photograph than a warbler, it is a kinglet. Kinglets do not sit still for more than 10 seconds (or so it seems). I was very happy with the few shots I got with the OM-1. Both of these are at 800mm equivalent, using my evolving bird modifications to Program Mode. I did some experimenting with focus modes as the day went on, but already I am thinking the OM-1 is definitely up to the task. ISO 400 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. Minus .7EV.

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