Of course this is not a bird but it does demonstrate how distance plays in the equation. I shot this coyote at approx. 100 feet with a 300mm lens. A coyote is about the size of a German Shepard dog. This shot has also been enlarged by 150%. So this demonstrates how a small bird is going to remain small unless you get very close and or use a big FL lens. Bottom line again, have a lot of FL and get as close as you can.
" If you start slow and work up, you'll be less likely to waste money on equipment that isn't quite what you need."
Absolutely. Get the lens first, (Tamron 150-600mm G2 
) and see if you need to upgrade the camera later. Slow as you go is the key to not buying something that you won't or can't use.
@RobertTheFat wrote:
@himaniv wrote:Dear Friends,
Need a suggestion..
I have Canon EOS1100D camera with 55-250mm lense ( Macro 1.1m/3.6ft).
I have recently started birding and I am loving it. However birds being too far off, it is becoming difficult to get good pics with this setups.
Need suggestion on :
1. If I upgrade lense and keep same base camera, is it good?
2. Which Canon Lense should I go for ?
3. Can I use Tele converter with current 250 mm lense ? as high end lenses are very heavy to carry during birding.
Please suggest a good cost effective model for begining.
Thanks in advance.
I'm not sure you're asking the right questions at this stage. Birding is a demanding skill and requires fairly esoteric equipment to do it at an expert level. You want to guard against trying to learn too much at once. The best way to start is to attract some birds to practice on. Wild birds are notoriously shy, but you can befriend almost any bird if you're patient enough. Put out some bird feeders and wait for the birds to notice. Once they get used to you hanging around, you can use them to learn what works and what doesn't. Then as you venture into the wild, you'll be in a better position to understand what additional skills and equipment you'll need when you can't get close to your subjects. You've gotten a lot of good advice (and some contradictory advice) in this thread, and the best way to find out what works is to try it. If you start slow and work up, you'll be less likely to waste money on equipment that isn't quite what you need.
I couldnt agree more. I am lucky to live in an area with lots of warerfowl. I put up a small blind in my back field and was able to get a number of photos. A great place to learn my equipment.
@CaliforniaDream wrote:I couldnt agree more. I am lucky to live in an area with lots of warerfowl. I put up a small blind in my back field and was able to get a number of photos. A great place to learn my equipment.
GREAT CAPTURE! Birding reminds me of fishing. You need a good spot, patience, and keep it quiet. If you are parked somewhere, having a camera support like a monopod or a tripod helps, too.
Strive to maintain a high shutter speed. When I am shooting wildlife, I like to use a shutter that is 1/1600, or faster. But, that is on a bright sunny day, and the subject is in the sun, though.
You will get your best results shooting in one of the Creative modes, like Tv, which allows you to prioritize shutter speed. Others prefer Av mode, which allows you to prioritize the aperture setting. I get the best results in Manual mode.
