Africa Wild

You certainly had me in mind with this list - I cracked myself up. It was yes, yes, yes on each question.


I'm totally an addicted birder.

Amoli, we'd never have guessed!

I'm keeping quiet on this one.

Amoli is hooked.

1.You’ve visited a public restroom with binoculars around your neck. ... but with camera

2. You’ve voluntarily visited a sewerage farm.

3.You’re known to brake (with no warning) for tits, bishops and chats.

4. In nature reserves, you often confuse other visitors inquiring about what you’ve seen so far.

5. You’ve got a “Birding, Please Pass.” sticker on your vehicle.

6. You’ve done high-speed birding on a highway.

7. You keep extensive and organized bird lists.

8.You plan your holidays around birding spots.

9.You have more than one bird guide.

10. You’ve spent good money to see a rare species.

it's grave Doctor

I'm definitely NOT addicted, but I have been known to spend A LOT of time at Bee-eater holes trying to get an in-flight photo w/ an insect in its beak.

My SO is the "look out" whose job it is to yell "INCOMING" when one of them is approaching the hole (I have my eye glued to the camera, focused on the hole, so I don't know when they are successful at hunting).

Of course, every car stops and asks what we see. My SO used to answer "Bee-eaters!!" in an upbeat proud tone.

But after more than a few grimaces, shakes of the head, and eye rolling, he now just says in a dejected shameful tone, "Just Bee-eaters..."

Here's how I would get the Bee-Eaters.

Put the camera on a bean bag so it can pointed at the hole without constant monitoring.

Focus on the hole then switch to manual focus. If the camera moves slightly, it will still be focused on the hole.

You can then look around as much as you like and judge for yourself when there is an incoming bird and hit the shutter release at the appropriate time.

I do put the camera on an "improvised" bean bag and use a remote switch, but they are so darned FAST once they fly to the hole, they are inside and out of sight in a matter of a second or two! I did manage some that I'm pretty satisfied with, but it's fun even when they don't cooperate fully.

Thanks for the helpful hints!

11. Your first comment when you see this scene is "Wow! An Ivory Gull."

did the same for the same birds

and certainly I would...... no...not at all Dewi