Garden birds returning.

Due to the excessive number of pet cats, the birds disappear during Spring/Summer. I have not got a picture from this Autumn yet but here is one from January 2021 of a Female Blackbird feasting. The Blackbirds, Robins, Pigeons etc love the Palm tree seeds.
I've had a play with contrast and local adjustments in RT. Zoomed/cropped.
Using the KP and DA* 300, f5.6, 1/250th, ISO 1600/

I like this. The white seeds give an unusual backdrop which compliments Mrs Blackbird.

Our palm tree seeds are yellow/orange, not seen white before.

always nice to get the birds back how do u find the DA 300 that's one I had my eye on for a while . .

Brilliant lens. I don't think it's ever been rated less so. IMHO. Great for bird shots as long as you are in fairly close, otherwise 300mm is limiting somewhat.

Another vote here for the white seeds as a background. A setting where the blackbird's camouflage doesn't work - which is great for a photographer .

300mm limiting? You don't say how big a crop you had to do, but the lens is good enough for a fairly aggressive crop. Alternatively, your next purchase is the 1.4 teleconverter - they're made for each other!

Steve

That little bit different with those white berries, and beautifully sharp in the right places - we too seem to be suffering from a lack of blackbirds this year

Here in Woking we have seen declining numbers for years. This last summer there was one friendly bird that would always appear in the afternoon as I was watering. I kept a little pot of mealworms just for him. I had to keep Ripley indoors while he fed on them.

No shortage of blackbirds around here and breeding too (the two may be linked...:wink. It's worth noting that blackbirds do move around so numbers can vary locally. British blackbirds may move around the country in search of food as autumn/winter arrives. And blackbirds from Scandinavia migrate here during autumn (for food, of course) and leave in spring. The number arriving depends on how bad the weather is back home and on the journey. They might not get here at all if they find somewhere with good food supplies en route.

As of the last few weeks, though, the garden has been taken over by a robin that demands food every time I go out of the back door.

Steve