This article features some September birding images captured handheld during a recent visit to Hendrie Valley. While there wasn’t an abundance of birds in the area during my visit… I was able to capture a reasonable number of images.
NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.

Rather than focus only on birds-in-flight I decided to photograph some birds on the ground, along the shore, and also perched. Looking for a broader range of image opportunities helps to keep one engaged with their photographic environment.

It hasn’t been that common for me find Killdeer to photograph at Hendrie Valley. I was fortunate to spot a few feeding on the mud flats. The Killdeer were mixed in amongst some other birds (Yellowlegs are my best guess) so it was a bit challenging to keep track of the behaviours of individual birds as they scurried about.

I was able to spot one Killdeer that was exhibiting some ongoing aggression against other birds. I tried to follow this individual bird’s movements… and as able to capture the action image above using Pro Capture L.

There were very few Great Blue Herons that were visible during my visit. Fortunately I had my M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter attached to my 150-600 zoom lens for a portion of my visit, and was able to capture this heron in flight from about 100 metres (~328 feet) away, using a focal length of 840 mm (efov 1680 mm).

Above is another photograph from the same image run. When possible I like to capture images of birds-in-flight with their beaks open.

There were a number of Yellowlegs feeding along the mud flats, with some of them getting within 15 metres of my shooting position. Using the 150-600 mm fully extended (sometimes with the MC-14 teleconverter) allowed me to get a good number of pixels on some of the subject birds.

The reach of the M.Zuiko 150-600 can be helpful when photographing smaller birds that are more distant… and when more of their natural environment is desired in a composition.

Pro Capture L can help to get useable images of birds feeding on the ground, or in ponds, as they often move around quickly and erratically.

In Southern Ontario if you’re near water you’ll likely find seagulls in the area. I find them to be good subjects with which to practice my eye/hand coordination.

They can also serve as good subjects when practicing shutter release timing.
Birds are often like people in terms of having distinct personalities. Identifying an aggressive bird can lead to interesting photographic opportunities. The next three photographs are consecutive images of a gull attempting to steal another gull’s catch.



I find that using a combination of Pro Capture L with Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking works well for these kinds of action sequences.

When I’m out with my camera photographing birds, like this September birding visit to Hendrie Valley, I like to respond rapidly to situations… even if I am at risk of missing my shot. I’d rather try and fail… rather than not try at all.
I heard some wing beats behind me and whirled around to see this mallard flying past me. Using the ‘push-pull’ zoom adjustment on the 150-600 allowed me to quickly frame the photograph above. I was pleased with this ‘quick grab’ image even though I clipped the right wing a bit.

The zoom adjustment was also useful when photographing this backlit duck flying rapidly, and directly at me. When considering camera gear we sometimes get caught up in specifications, and overlook the importance of handling and ergonomics.

This osprey in-flight suddenly appeared out from behind some trees… and was flying directly overhead at a fairly close distance. This is another example of the benefit of being able to change focal lengths rapidly with the ‘push/pull’ action of the M.Zuiko 150-600 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom lens.

There were some egrets in the area. The bird above was fishing in some direct, harsh sunlight so I underexposed the image by -1 EV.

I had one opportunity to photograph an egret taking flight and captured this frame as it was just leaving the water.

I also had an opportunity to photograph an egret in flight as you can see with the image above, and the five that follow. I was able to quickly adjust my focal length as the bird flew past me.





Even when presented with a relatively ‘slow’ September birding day, we can still have some fun and get some practice with our cameras.

As photographers we all have more belly shots of vultures in-flight than we can ever use. Sometimes it is a treat to photograph a vulture perched in a tree.
Technical Note
Photographs were captured handheld with the camera equipment noted in the EXIF data. All images were created from RAW files using my standard process in post. I had Pro Capture L set for 15 Pre-Shutter Frames with the Frame Limiter shut off, and shot at 18 frames-per-second using a single, small AF point. This is the 1,412 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.
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Outstanding photographs — as usual. Apparently the 150-600mm is a great lens, unfortunately it’s just too large and heavy for this old body. I use the 100-400mm which is pretty darn good in its own right but I’ve never been able to produce images as good as yours were from the 100-400mm. I’ll blame my camera, an E-M1 ii, but I know it’s the operator and not the equipment.
Hi Woody,
Thanks for the supportive comment… I’m glad you enjoyed the images!
The M.Zuiko 150-600 is a terrific lens… but it is pretty large and heavy… so it will not be a good fit for everyone.
As your comment indicates, “the 100-400mm which is pretty darn good in its own right”… and I agree with your assessment of this lens. At the end of the day the only comparison that matters is with our own, best selves.
Tom
Very productive day and another endorsement for the 150-600mm. I am seriously considering getting one to “replace” my 100-400mm. I’m especially impressed with using the MC-14 at 100+ m subject distance. Obviously, your technique and experience are part of the formula, but reaching beyond efov of 1600mm helps, too! Thanks for sharing.
Hi John,
The decision to use the MC-14 or not, really comes down to the size of the subject being photographed and the distance to subject. Most of the time I find that the native focal length range of the 150-600 (efov 300-1200) is more than sufficient for most photography situations I face. There is one section in particular at Hendrie Valley that leads to more open water towards the city of Hamilton. This is where ospreys often dive for fish, and where larger birds like Great Blue Herons and egrets sometimes fly at lower altitudes. The MC-14 is helpful with this specific location. Most of the other areas at Hendrie Valley are served very well with the 150-600 without the need for the MC-14. If birds are a bit scarce and I know I’ll focusing my photography out towards the bay… I always use the MC-14.
One needs to be careful when using the MC-14 (and MC-20) as sometimes using a teleconverter with the 150-600 can result in having “too much lens” for the location. Sometimes that can result in missing photographs because the focal length is too long for the situation.
Tom