Kenko Teleplus PRO 300 DGX 1.4x AF Teleconverter with Tamron 70-300 VC - 18 October 2012

 Kenko Teleplus PRO 300 DGX 1.4x AF Teleconverter with Tamron 70-300 VC

Tried out the TC again, still not certain if it was a worthwhile purchase. 

I may have been  been able to achieve the same results by cropping photos taken with my Tamron 70-300VC lens. TC does not work very well on cloudy days, good light is essential to use it. I will probably continue using the TC on sunny days. Not entirely dissatisfied with the TC, would probably get better results using a tripod.

Photos were taken at a few different locations over a period of about a month in varying light conditions. All photos were taken hand held.

 

Whitewater Lake, MB, Oct 2012 - American Avocet - Distance about 75 feet - Sunny day

Whitewater Lake, MB, Oct 2012 - American Avocet - Distance about 100 feet - Sunny day

Gilbert Plains, MB, Oct 2012 - Greater Yellow-legs - Distance about 20 feet - Sunny day

Whitewater Lake, MB, Oct 2012 - Juvenile Ruddy Duck - Distance 50 feet - Sunny day

Whitewater Lake, MB, Oct 2012 - Baird's Sandpipers?? Distance 100 feet - Sunny day

Stephenfield, MB, Oct 2012 - Bald Eagle - Distance 100 yards - Heavy overcast

Stephenfield, MB, Oct 2012 - Bald Eagle -Distance 100 yards - Heavy overcast - Cropped and edited

Southern MB, Sept 2012 - Brown Thrasher -Distance 12 feet - Sunny day

Southern MB, Sept 2012 - Brown Thrasher -Distance 12 feet - Sunny day
 

Fort Whyte, MB - Sept 2012 - Canada Geese - Sunny day

Whitewater Lake, MB, Oct 2012 - Coyote - Distance 150 feet - Sunny day

Whitewater Lake, MB, Oct 2012 - Coyote - Distance 150 feet - Sunny day

Fort Whyte, MB - Sept 2012 - Crows - Distance 50 feet - Sunny day

Fort Whyte, MB - Sept 2012 - Mallard - Distance 20 feet - Sunny day

Southern, MB - Sept 2012 - Meadowlark Juvenile?? - Distance 40 feet - Cloudy day

Fort Whyte, MB - Sept 2012 - Merganser - Distance 40 feet - Sunny day

Fort Whyte, MB - Sept 2012 - Merganser - Distance 40 feet - Sunny day

Southern MB - Sept 2012 - Snow Geese - Distance over 200 yards -Broken cloud - Best photos were when sun was out. Lens with TC had a great deal of trouble focusing on the geese as they were very small in the view finder. Lens alone would have had no problem focusing.

Southern MB - Sept 2012 - Snow Geese - Distance over 200 yards -Broken cloud - Best photos were when sun was out. There was over 100 Snow Geese present as well as a number of Canada Geese.

Whitewater Lake, MB, Oct 2012 - Snow Geese - Distance over 200 yards - Sunny day. There were over 1,000 Snow Geese present.

 

 

Whitewater Lake Trip 2, Part 2 - August 25 2012

Whitewater Lake Trip 2, Part 2

Second series of pictures from our trip. We took almost 1,500 photos on our outing, a little disappointed in how the photos turned out but still enjoyed the experience.
Not certain when we will be posting more photos as we will be busy all of September with harvesting. October will be nearing the end of the southward migration and we will likely have few opportunities until spring to do any more birding.

Eared Grebe and chick

White Faced Ibis

This was taken at about 100 feet, like it because you can see the Ibis's feet

Great Blue Heron I surprised as I crested a hill

Taken at over 100 feet

Great Crested Flycatcher

Greater Yellow Legs

Northern Harrier, these were distant shots, probably around 100 feet

Western Grebe

Red Necked Grebe

Whitewater Lake Manitoba, Trip 2, Part 1 - August 14 2012

Whitewater Lake Manitoba, Trip 2

Our second trip to Whitewater Lake.
Speaking to one of the locals we found out we were a few weeks early for the fall migration. But it was a very successful trip. We saw a Glossy Ibis, a very rare bird for Manitoba, and at least 30 Blue Winged Teals. A first time sighting of a Glossy Ibis for us.
We had initially identified the Blue Winged Teals as Green Winged Teals but after a monitor calibration it became apparent that we were mistaken.   

We spent two days birding and saw 50 different species, as well as two large Salamanders and two Badgers. 

We took over 1,500 pictures, here are a few, will post some more in a few days.

Badger, one of two we saw, the other was a few hundred feet south of us

I beklieve this is a Bonaparte's Gull juvenile 

Canvasback and Ruddy Ducks

Eared Grebe and chick

White Faced Ibis

White Faced Ibis

Blue-winged Teals

Horses we encountered near the road to the lake

Salamander

Old school house near the lake

Sign over school house door

Yellow Headed Balckbirds

Bird & Harvest Photos - 10 August 2012

We visited the ponds again and saw one Great Blue Heron at a distance.

Tamron 70-300 at 300mm at about 200 feet

Canon SX40 840mm Heron has caught a Salamander

SX40 840mm crop.  When shooting at 840mm one really needs a monopod or tripod, We had a monopod with us but the piece to attach the camera to the monopod was missing so all the pictures taken were hand held.

Harvest 2012

Sunflowers