Dieter Schaefer

There's a two-week-old thread in the flickr help forum about images not showing at a different site - acknowledged by staff and allegedly fixed now (though there are still complaints of ongoing issues). As usual with flickr, there's no real information flowing from staff about the issues and the reasons behind them. IIRC, then the PN software update "broke" the way flickr images were shared here on PN: the options flickr provides aren't working anymore and one shares by simply pasting the image's URL into a PN thread.

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names. Osprey

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names. Barn Swallow (from last August)

Z9, 800PF, 1.4xTC

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names.

Z9, 800PF, 1.4xTC

Nikon recommends discharging the battery and removing it from the camera: https://onlinemanual.nikonimglib.com/d850/en/19_technical_notes_08.html#:~:text=If the battery will not,hot or extremely cold locations). Contrary to that suggestion, I always keep a (fully charged) battery in my camera even when I am not using it for longer periods. If for no other reason than to keep the internal clock battery charged. I have not noticed any ill effect on the batteries. Not on my Nikons and not on the Sonys.

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names. Cooper's Hawk On my way to the mailbox, I heard a scream and discovered this Cooper's Hawk sitting in a tree in my front yard. Dashed inside to grab the camera and managed to get a few shots before a passing car scared the raptor off. Was already fairly dark out, even shooting wide open and with 1/640s shutter speed still resulted in an ISO of 25600. Cleaned it up with DxO PureRAW 3.

I had been very excited when I got the 80-400 back in early 2014 (believe that was the first time Nikon had a $400 rebate on it) - it replaced mt old AF-D 80-400 and for the most part also the AF-S 300/4 that I used almost exclusively with the TC-17EII. It did not disappoint being used on a D300 and then on a D7100; AF was fast (faster than the AF-S 300/4) and it was easy to handhold. It fell out of favor once I got the 200-500 (I am one of those who feel the 200-500 is the sharper of the two - and it certainly beat the AF-S 300 with the TC-17EII by a lot). Made the mistake to purchase a second copy of the (refurbished and discounted) 80-400 late in 2016 for my wife to use on the D500 instead of realizing that I would rarely use my 80-400 now that I had the 200-500 (which got obsoleted by the 500PF in late 2019). Now I have two rarely used AF-S 80-400 that have abysmal trade-in value (below $500 for a lens that cost $2700 at introduction and for which Nikon still wants some $2200 new). There are basically three advantages of the 80-400 over the 200-500: (a) lower weight, (b) faster AF, and (c)a more versatile zoom range for everyday photography. Nowadays though, I very much prefer to use the 300PF and the 500PF instead - both work well with a TC-14EIII (the latter only when used on the Z9, not so much on the D500 and D850). Forget the TC-17EII (and any of the TC-20E); you are better off cropping. I think for your intended use, the 80-400 is an excellent choice. Personally, I would not buy it as a wildlife lens but it is fine for everyday use and travel.

Z9, 800PF, 1.4xTC

😞I am at a loss for words. Actually, I am not, but what springs to mind isn't suitable for a public forum ...

Could it be that it was initially inside the box and the subject moved outside - then the yellow box would do what it is supposed to, isn't it? I had toyed with the idea of getting a Z8 to use with the small and light 500PF expecting better handling and balance. Glad I did not go that route. Almost certain now that eventually I will let go of every Nikon camera that uses the EN-EL15 battery in any of its many incarnations.

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names.

Z9, 800PF with 1.4xTC

Screaming Osprey

The "fish placing" was mentioned at least twice - and IIRC, once was just before the "money shot" images. In the comment section on youtube, a few people picked up on the baiting as well. Possible but I think it's rather unlikely. To confirm that the lake is a fishing spot for an osprey, one would have had to observe on fishing without having placed bait. Placing bait might just attract one even if that was not its preferred fishing spot. Exactly. Not knowing the location makes it hard to judge how many places that osprey had to find fish. I observed an osprey family throughout the summer and never saw them fishing (one juvenile once made some practice runs in a cove nearby); I only knew that the adults sometimes went fishing in the nearby river and sometimes in the ocean. Literally impossible to predict and hence to photograph. Not if it was baited. Or if the blind has been placed carefully after observing the osprey for a while and finding out that it has a preferred spot. Which seems unlikely given that the lake appeared quite big; this could, however, be the case with a small lake. Ospreys - in contrast to bald eagles - rarely eat dead fish. Which doesn't give much chance of success for the baiting. Can't imagine how to do it with a live fish though. Maybe something was used to attract a fish? +1

I scrolled through and started watching at around 45:00 min in. Why would you not be prepared with the correct focal length if you placed the fish to begin with? At least that how I understood it. Though I don't understand how you make the fish stay put (unless it is already dead). I am not particularly fond of baiting what I want to photograph - it feels too much like cheating to me. I was appalled to learn that most snowy owl images that show the owl hunting are actually baited. Why else would the owl fly towards a line-up of photographers?

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread. Many members will appreciate any information you are willing or able to provide regarding location, shooting process, exposure settings, equipment, and information on the subject(s), including scientific and/or common names. Osprey

Z9, 800PF with 1.4xTC

Three more images - Brandt's Cormorant from the cliffs of La Jolla and an osprey form Portland, Maine Hoping the ospreys will return in April to the same nest. The juvenile shown in this thread will not be back in 2024 - her first return to the vicinity of their birth place will be in Spring 2025 - provided, of course, she made it to their destination South (could be as far as Central America or even the Northern parts of South America) and survived their time there and the return trip. She hung around the nest the longest - her brother left a good two weeks earlier than she did. Her mother about a month earlier; her dad stayed until she had left - providing her with food until the last minute. I never observed the female juvenile catching any fish - which wouldn't bode well for her trip South unless she learned very quickly.

Osprey announcing to the world that it just managed to stick the landing.