limekiln canyon christmas bird count group

Guides

Getting into the hobby of birding

Many people have a “spark bird” that piques their interest in birds. This could be the ducks you fed at the pond, a cool bird that visited your yard, or anything that made you stop and think. Birdwatching or ’birding’ is a welcoming hobby for people of all ages.

EOS R6 and 1.4 teleconverter

Guides

My Gear Setup for Bird Photography

I spent my first nine years as a hobby photographer with my original Canon camera setup, a Rebel T5i and EF 400mm lens. Earlier this year I upgraded my equipment to Canon’s mirrorless lineup and RF lens line. I‘m not a spec expert, but I’ll share why I selected each piece and what I appreciate.

shotgun microphone setup with iphone

Guides

Using a shotgun mic with an iPhone to record birds

I’ve used my existing microphone setup with a dedicated recorder since I picked up the equipment. While taking an online course on How to Record Bird Sounds, one of the setups they showed in the video utilized an external microphone connected to an iPhone running Merlin.

mockingbird with computer vision overlay

Gear Reviews, Main Feed

Birding with the Canon R6

In what I can only describe as “computer vision” the way Canon’s new mirrorless cameras can focus on subjects is truly impressive. The new Animal Eye Autofocus feature detects the eye on an animal subject and locks its focus onto it as it moves through the frame. Rather than being restricted to limited focal points it can detect and focus on subjects all throughout the frame. It’s not perfect, and certainly works better under some conditions rather than others

new gear recording setup me67 mixpre-3 ii

Guides

My Gear Setup: Birdsong Recording

If you’re considering buying a microphone and recorder setup to record bird songs, it can be a bit overwhelming with the variety of equipment available online. I’ve found a setup that works nicely for my needs and will share with you what I use out in the field both past and present.