I have discovered that you learn something new every day and I am prepared to share my mistakes with you all. On my recent trip up to Burrum National Park area I got some really lovely shots and saw an incredibly beautiful array of flora and fauna. I found all of this on my wits and observations locally. This weekend I did a bit of googling on that area to see where I was and what the National Parks info had to say about it. Yes this was a bit a#$* about face I admit it! :')
Needless to say I was kicking myself to find that I was in the midst of an incredibly interesting ecosystem and had I prepared more and researched first I could have seen so much more. the list includes brolgas, jabirus, scarlet honey eaters and many more. I would also have known that I should have been on that walk at least 3-4 hours earlier than I was!
So NEXT time I go somewhere interesting I will be doing all my research first.
Here is the link that one google hit got me for anyone who is interested in travelling up there. For sure if I had read this it would have made a big difference to my choice of day trips and their timing!
http://www.ontheroad.com.au/old/previous/april2002/apr02article.htm
the other life lesson for me is to know your equipment... Sparrow will get a good laugh out of this! After not being able to make my wireless remote working and missing catbird shots and a few others, I awoke this morning to find two little cords sitting on my desk .... it dawned on me that these must be for the remote. Funny how it worked so much better when it was connected to the camera in the right way :'( . Also if I had remembered to pack it ( which I wouldn't have done thinking it didn't work) it would have been really useful for the many lightning shots I was trying to take .
Hope this gives someone a good laugh anyway and enjoy it on me !
Yes Birdie I'm smiling,If i remember you were going to give the person who talked you into upgrading a spray!hope you didn't otherwise you might feel like a schmuck,something I'm very familiar with
I have been trying to talk my wife into blowing the dust off her pentax and heading north on a birding holiday,this gets a long stare followed by "spend the whole time chasing birds----yeah----right! that'll happen!
No Sparrow, I was actually in there talking to him the other day and I forgot all about it thankfully. I was too busy getting him to confirm my diagnosis on my friend's camera that got dropped in the sand. Compact cameras and sand ..... an instant disaster.
I just can't think why at the time I didn't even think to look for cables! it slid onto the hot shoe and I just thought that was that......duh
re the birding trip....... I got the same reaction from ,my other half when I said I wanted to go back somewhere like that and really rough it a bit to get into the bush to see some birdlife..........." like that is going to happen ..... no way! You go with your mates and I'll stay here thanks"
He really shouldn't give me that kind of suggestion because now that definitely IS going to happen :')
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Birdie, Google is your best friend as is a place like the Birding-aus Archives. If you want to find out about birds or ask for help, that is a great place to get it. With my (hopefully) upcoming Brisbane work trip how much research do you think I have already done? ;)
I am sure you will be well prepared Akos :) I am still very much a novice when it comes to actual "bird watching" and the best way to go about it. I am finding that the business of finding the birds and seeing them, is gaining importance with every day with or without the camera. I am trying to practise living in the moment because sometimes ... that is all you have .
Sunshine Coast Queensland
If cameras or mobile phones ever get wet and need drying out remove the batteries and other bits and submerge the device in a container full of dry rice. The rice draws the moisture out and soaks it up while not being small enough to get stuck in the device.
Just a tip I though might come in handy.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
Wollemi.... good advice maybe for a sprinkle.... but from a camera point of view....having worked for Canon for many years, all I can say is immersion or major water damage..( salt particularly of course)... you can kiss it goodbye. it may work for a while but corrosion is like a cancer and one day it will jump up and bite you on the backside! LOL
Sunshine Coast Queensland