Thank you Jan for the video.I have moved to a bungalow in the UK which means I have now got start again with getting birds into the garden.I am disabled and sometimes struggle to get out so your videos are a life line. I have built a couple of bird boxes and I have a bird feeder all ready to go and will be adjusting my lenses soon. Keep the videos coming look forward to the next ones.
Great tips - a couple I've really never considered before were heat haze and that a doubler works better on fixed focal length lenses. The LensAlign was a new one for me. Suggesting shutter speeds was another enlightening tip. Great video!
Thanks Jan. I've just moved to Fuji system and my 100-400 arrived today. I was disappointed with my first shots and obviously because I have broken lots of these rules! I'll make some changes next time.
Good as always and is good from a reminder point of view. You can watch and take action next time out but as with a lot of things we tend to forget. So it's a good reminder to keep us on the ball.
I really appreciate your video and have subscribed to your channel. I learned a few things from this one alone. I like how you talk so it is easy to understand
Thank you so much, this clears up a lot of things for me. I've just come back from a break where I photographed birds and whales around the Saphire Coast and Green Cape lighthouse ( Ben Boyd NP), I was so disappointed with a lot of my shots but now of course I realise my mistakes and half were the weather and time of day. The fact that I don't get a lot of time behind the camera doesn't help wither. Thanks Jan.
Great tips and excellent quality photography. I mainly shoot bird videos and rarely use a tripod as I'm usually clambering through bushes or need to get the shot really quickly otherwise the bird has gone. If I shoot mid length zoom then the camera stabilisation is pretty good but on full zoom it's more tricky.
Great vid. And fantastic birds. Not sure which is better ! A question. You said high shutter speed and don’t shoot full open. So do you shoot on Manual ? Or is there a clever way to have say 1/1000 plus f8 min and let the camera choose ISO ? I use a 6D and 100-400 4.5 - 5.6 USM II lense. Could do with bracketing, but a bit of a fav.
@@dilanjayawickrama2469 Not necessarily. It helps to use the correct points to keep the focus on the bird's head, but the point themselves don't affect sharpness. The AF Microadjustment I talk about, does though
Excellent video: really well explained and stunning samples - this clarified a lot! Thank you so much. Question: what Focus Mode (single AF or continuous AF) and AF-Area Mode (pinpoint, single point, dynamic area, wide area, auto-area) do you use?
Beautiful shots. I noticed you use a flash extender of some kind but made no mention of it in these tips. Maybe do a vid about how and when you use it?
Enjoyed this video as per usual. Some excellent reminders, I normally shoot from a tripod, especially as I have an old heavy 600mm lens. Normally i would shoot at f5.6 so I am keen to try your suggestion of F8, with my 7d mk ii I try to keep the ISO to 800 but will go to 1250 at a push. Perhaps I lose a bit of sharpness but generally I am extremely happy with my sharpness. For BiF i shoot with a 300mm F2.8 lens, also an older version. I do have some amazing shots handheld even with an extender (1.4) attached. I may add all my lenses are micro adjusted.Thanks for the promised videos over the next few weeks, I look forward to them.
Thank Jan, lots of useful info as always, great. I am still struggling with a hand-me-down D7100 and a 55-200mm kit lens, I really enjoy trying to get a picture a day, and look forward to improving. All the best from the Bahamas, cheers mate.
Hey Peter, shooting with a 55-200 kit lens can be very challenging to get similar results to a 600mm. I was in this boat for 3 years. I have a YT vid over on my channel about it. Feel free to go check it out. 😊
The direction of light can also add to the perceived sharpness of a photo. For example, quarter light can really add micro-contrast to feathers, as long it is not too harsh :)
Hi Jan excellent informative video even for experience photographers, can I ask a vexing question when you have the long lens on the tripod do you also have the image stabilization set ON or Off, I know that some cameras detect the stabilisation and close it, I personally have found that a long lens on a good tripod I can see slight vibration , you comment would be appreciated
John Bishop thanks! Interesting point. I am using different ones, but I am not sure how much it influences sharpness. It certainly helps you to stay on the subject better
Wonderful video..... absolutely loved it. I have one query.... Why we should not used a extender to a zoom lens ??? yes, you have said this on your video but i would to improve more knowledge on this. what if am on a 200-500 mm Nikon lens and i am shooting on constant 500 mm with a extender? What will be the effect on the image ?
Hi Jan , many thanks for a great video. with regards to shutter speed you say use a higher speed on a tripod with flying birds than hand held? surely it would be the opposite ? thanks
What I was referring to is the pre-focusing method I sometimes use. Where I pre-focus on a spot and then just fire away, when the bird shoots through the viewfinder. Because my camera is stationary and the bird moving fast, I need really high SS to freeze the action. When I am handholding on the other hand, I am panning with the bird. Because the bird and me are moving in the same direction at a similar speed, my shutter speed can be lower to achieve a sharp shot. I am talking about this in detail in my latest video. th-cam.com/video/ne-vkwitp9k/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the tips Jan another excellent video. I use a software tool called Reikan FoCal Pro to do my lens calibration as I find it easier. A bit expensive but does the job well.
Great video thanks! I definitely learned some useful info for my bird shots. I’m new to high def bird photography/videography. I use a Sony A6600 with a 100-400mm with a 1.4x converter. I’m seriously considering getting the 200-600mm as well. Do you have any go-to settings for video? I want to get high quality slow motion shots fully zoomed in?
Jan Wegener Great thanks! The Sony A6600 does 120 FPS so I will give it a try and tag you on IG so you can see it. Also the A7S3 is coming out soon - so excited to add that to my camera arsenal in Oct/Dec.
Hi Jan, It was a very informative video. In your opinion how important it is to have an camera which has in-body stabilization for bird photography. Is it worth the money we spend for that?
hi, thanks! I never had a camera with IBIS, but most of the future mirror less cameras will have it. All my lenses have stabilisation, though. So in general, having some form of stabilisation is important, but it doesn't have to be IBIS, however, it won't hurt to have it.
Jan I like to tell people that if you're using any stabilized lenses number 1 mode id for sitting still Birds , number 2 mode is used for moving birds like birds in flight , you might want to add that to your next videos for doing sharp images .
I almost never go out of mode 1. Generally I feel like when i track birds I still have a lot of up and down movement as well, where Mode one overall has given me at least similar results to mode 2, so I usually leave it in mode 1.
Another great video Jan, I really do look forward to your uploads as I am a keen photographer who does a little Wildlife work. I doubt if I will ever get images to match yours, but the advice you offer should increase my chances of getting better images. Thanks again ......Joe
Thanks Jan for another fine video ... ; - ) I have a question though. Do you use the Image Stabilizer on the 600mm when shooting on a tripod? And if so, which mode (1-3) do you use? Regards Steen
Steen Torner thanks? I do and I always leave it on. I have played around with the modes a lot, too, but find mode 1 to work the best. Theoretically mode 2 should work well on a tripod, but I didn’t find that tonne true. In theory you could turn it off at higher shutter speeds which would be good, but I sometimes forget to turn it back on and ruin other slow shutter speed shots, so I opt to just leave it on now
@@jan_wegener Thanks for your reply Jan. Personally, I try to remember setting mode 2 when using my tripod but often forget to return to mode 1 when handholding. In future, I will follow your advice always using mode 1 ... ; - ) Regards Steen
Good advice all round but I find a tripod far too awkward for birds in flight even with a gymbil mount and I haven’t really tried using one for perched birds so I think I’ll try that
I wouldn't necessarily recommend one for birds in flight, although it does get tiring with a big lens. With a small lens and fast shutter speed you will be fine handholding
I find gimbals with birds in flight work best if you know where birds are heading, especially across your path (ie. left to right) and when you don't have to aim too high.
Great video and thanks for the tips. I'm brand new to bird photographer. Today was my forth day. Lovin' it. The one tip you gave is to use a tripod which I would love to do. If I'm on a hike, though, and all of a sudden a bird shows up how do you use the tripod. How do you keep up or do you just get to a spot and wait for the birds to come your way? Thanks.
Hey, Glad it was helpful! That's the one time a tripod can be a bit of a hindrance, but it also depends on the lens you are using. A smaller lighter lens, requires less of a tripod than the big guns. Personally, I like to set up and have the birds come to me, that less stressful for both parties. When I stalk birds, I sometimes ditch the tripod as well, for ease of use, however, the moment the birds stays in one spot for a bit longer, I instantly regret not having one.
Brief and concise ...no beating about the Bush..👍👍👍
Hemant Kharkongor that’s how I like it 😆
Hemant Kharkongor that’s how I like it
I love that you showed examples for everything you spoke about. Thank you!
Amanda Kay thanks! Trying to keep it easy to understand
Thank you Jan for the video.I have moved to a bungalow in the UK which means I have now got start again with getting birds into the garden.I am disabled and sometimes struggle to get out so your videos are a life line. I have built a couple of bird boxes and I have a bird feeder all ready to go and will be adjusting my lenses soon. Keep the videos coming look forward to the next ones.
Great to hear Bob, I hope you will get birds coming in soon! I will push hard to pump the vids out faster
Thank you a lot, Jan!
I will have lots of time to watch again all your videos...
I hope everybody stays well!
thank you, stay safe
No.1 photography. 👌👍👍🙏
Bhalchandra Kapatkar 😊😊
Outstanding pictures you taking love the way you teach you make lots of sense
Thanks, much appreciated!
Another excellent video. Thank's Jan. Love your easy relaxed style and you don't talk down to us mere mortals.
Colin Huon great to hear. We all learn our whole life and I started at some stage not knowing how to use a camera....
Beautiful photos and nice basic tips. Thanks.
Dr. Siddharth Lakhotia thank you
Fantastic Jan you answered everything that had been puzzling me just of late. Cheer's :)
great to hear
Top tips, Jan, thanks so much for sharing!
thanks Steve
Thanks Jan. Great video. Always learn a bucket load of excellence from your videos. Keep ‘em coming.
Simon Ashfield-Smith thanks Simon, will do!
I really appreciated that you provided example photos along the way. Thanks!
Mike Lynds trying my best to keep it visual and easy to understand. Thanks!
Great tips - a couple I've really never considered before were heat haze and that a doubler works better on fixed focal length lenses. The LensAlign was a new one for me. Suggesting shutter speeds was another enlightening tip. Great video!
Thanks! Glad I could give you some pointers
Great tips that we tend to forget .. especially the time of day shots depending where you are. Thank you for continuing this ..
David Sigafoos yes, especially it hot places the window for good shots can be minimal
@@jan_wegener I find the heat waves a hard thing to remember as you cant always see them. Thanks again
Thanks Jan. I've just moved to Fuji system and my 100-400 arrived today.
I was disappointed with my first shots and obviously because I have broken lots of these rules! I'll make some changes next time.
Yes, there's many things that go into it and are important to get sharp shots. Glad I could help
Awesome tips. Very helpful. Thank you.
thank you!
Many thanks Jan for the great informative video, I follow your work since the BPN times!
wow, that's a long time back. Good to hear!
Another great video Jan. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort.
much appreciate your comment Neil
Good as always and is good from a reminder point of view. You can watch and take action next time out but as with a lot of things we tend to forget. So it's a good reminder to keep us on the ball.
yes mate, it's often the little things that can make a big difference.
Great video and tips. Thank You...
Thanks, much appreciated!
I really appreciate your video and have subscribed to your channel. I learned a few things from this one alone. I like how you talk so it is easy to understand
Thanks for the sub! Glad I could give you some helpful tips. I try to keep it real and relevant, and not very technical.
Thank you for the suggestions tips. Great photos too
Thanks for watching!
Awesome Video,
Doing Bird Photography recently,
Very Helpful,
Many Thanks
Great to hear!
Great video. Inspiring and spurs me on to try harder. Needed that. Thanks.
great to hear!
Thank you Jan. Lots of good info in a very professionally produced video. The audio is also superb.
Thanks a lot :) Was definitely worth it to invest into better audio gear!
Amazing Advice... straight to the point and very good at the same time .. keep up the good work ...
Great you liked it, thanks!
Absolutely to the point....thanks...
thank you!
Thank you so much, this clears up a lot of things for me. I've just come back from a break where I photographed birds and whales around the Saphire Coast and Green Cape lighthouse ( Ben Boyd NP), I was so disappointed with a lot of my shots but now of course I realise my mistakes and half were the weather and time of day. The fact that I don't get a lot of time behind the camera doesn't help wither. Thanks Jan.
Glad it was helpful!
Great tips and excellent quality photography. I mainly shoot bird videos and rarely use a tripod as I'm usually clambering through bushes or need to get the shot really quickly otherwise the bird has gone. If I shoot mid length zoom then the camera stabilisation is pretty good but on full zoom it's more tricky.
yes, the longer your focal length the more the movement shows up.
Excellent tips, thank you 👍
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant tips, that I REALLY needed! Thanks for sharing.
Adrienne West that’s great to hear Adrienne
Well done. Lots of great tips.
thanks mate
I’m new to bird photography so all this was great info. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Interesting that 20 years ago we did very well with a manual camera and Kodachrome 64 on a good sunny day. Good job.
Well, once upon a time a horse was also good enough to get us from A to B :D
!! Your tips are really really very nice, thank you for your time !!
My pleasure!
Excellent advice, as always. Thank you.
thanks John!
Another great video mate, plenty of good advice there. 👍
Duade Paton thanks mate
Thanks Jan, planning a birding trip over the weekend, and looking forward to shooting at F8.
Good Luck!
Great vid. And fantastic birds. Not sure which is better !
A question. You said high shutter speed and don’t shoot full open.
So do you shoot on Manual ?
Or is there a clever way to have say 1/1000 plus f8 min and let the camera choose ISO ?
I use a 6D and 100-400 4.5 - 5.6 USM II lense.
Could do with bracketing, but a bit of a fav.
I always shoot manual
th-cam.com/video/yxm7HQ37kXY/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/dicPTGRL45E/w-d-xo.html
Perfect tips.... I was struggling with this sharpnes ... now I can try again 👍🙂
Glad I could help! Thanks for your comment
@@jan_wegener I remembered you didn't mention anything about focus points , I trust they also play a key roll to get a very sharp shot, isnt' it ?
@@dilanjayawickrama2469 Not necessarily. It helps to use the correct points to keep the focus on the bird's head, but the point themselves don't affect sharpness. The AF Microadjustment I talk about, does though
Ok tks for the info. I tried n couldn't find how to do sharpnes test on Cannon 5D mark iv, my lens is Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM
- thank you.
Wow great pictures. So glad I bought the 400 mm Nikon prime 4.5. Isn't the focus tool only for DSLR not Mirrorless
Great video Jan thanks
thanks Kim
So good Jan.
Thanks :)
Thank you again for more great tips. stay safe .
cheers Chris. You too
Great video, very helpful and some truly stunning photos...wish I had your skills as well as your prime lens!
flotinaway hehe, no one starts like that, me included. It’s a long process of continuous learning
Thanks,very well done, and great pictures!
Thanks, much appreciated
Excellent tutorial thank you!
glad you liked it Tony
Thanks for sharing Jan !
My pleasure!
This is the first video am watching. Subscribed. Period.
great :) There's a lot more good ones :D
thank you for those great tips. thumbs up brother.
thank you!
Do you have video on what setting use for Canon 5D Mark IV for bird in flight or general for bird photography? Thank you
there are some about back button focus and birds in flights from a few years ago
Very informative, thank you.
John Lewis great to hear 😊
Lovely imagss, great tips thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent video: really well explained and stunning samples - this clarified a lot! Thank you so much.
Question: what Focus Mode (single AF or continuous AF) and AF-Area Mode (pinpoint, single point, dynamic area, wide area, auto-area) do you use?
Always continuous and with mirrorless usually eye tracking
Beautiful shots. I noticed you use a flash extender of some kind but made no mention of it in these tips. Maybe do a vid about how and when you use it?
Chris Hare it’s your lucky day 😁
th-cam.com/video/Gb7e2cfgrPg/w-d-xo.html
@@jan_wegener Thanks! Got my sub.
Great tips Jan. I'd love to take a bird photo as good as yours one day
thanks! With lots of hard work I am sure you will be able to
Excellent video - Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
Good advice Jan. . .
glad you liked it Bruce
Enjoyed this video as per usual. Some excellent reminders, I normally shoot from a tripod, especially as I have an old heavy 600mm lens. Normally i would shoot at f5.6 so I am keen to try your suggestion of F8, with my 7d mk ii I try to keep the ISO to 800 but will go to 1250 at a push. Perhaps I lose a bit of sharpness but generally I am extremely happy with my sharpness. For BiF i shoot with a 300mm F2.8 lens, also an older version. I do have some amazing shots handheld even with an extender (1.4) attached. I may add all my lenses are micro adjusted.Thanks for the promised videos over the next few weeks, I look forward to them.
Kirk West thanks Kirk 😊
Thank you this was a great help.
that's fantastic to hear, thanks
Thanks Jan, that was very helpful. Attempting some bird photography today so that’s tips especially aperture was very handy to know!
Great!
Thank Jan, lots of useful info as always, great. I am still struggling with a hand-me-down D7100 and a 55-200mm kit lens, I really enjoy trying to get a picture a day, and look forward to improving. All the best from the Bahamas, cheers mate.
Peter Kemp thanks Peter. That’s the most important thing,though, use what you have an get out there. This the best way to improve
Hey Peter, shooting with a 55-200 kit lens can be very challenging to get similar results to a 600mm. I was in this boat for 3 years. I have a YT vid over on my channel about it. Feel free to go check it out. 😊
Brill and spot on, thanks!
Glad you liked it!
So helpful and well said. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
The direction of light can also add to the perceived sharpness of a photo. For example, quarter light can really add micro-contrast to feathers, as long it is not too harsh :)
Jay19876 👍
Great tips，thanks
cheers :)
Fantastic, thank you.
Steve Ransome you’re welcome Steve 😊
Great examples for the novice, like myself!
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Jan excellent informative video even for experience photographers, can I ask a vexing question when you have the long lens on the tripod do you also have the image stabilization set ON or Off, I know that some cameras detect the stabilisation and close it, I personally have found that a long lens on a good tripod I can see slight vibration , you comment would be appreciated
Hey,
I always leave it on and it makes a big difference. You just have to turn it off, if you ever do long exposure stuff
My Nikon D850 Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM SPORT Recommended
You are an inspiration! Love your work. What about selecting the right AF points for sharp images?
John Bishop thanks! Interesting point. I am using different ones, but I am not sure how much it influences sharpness. It certainly helps you to stay on the subject better
Useful tips and beautiful birds
Many many thanks
Do you use single auto focus point? Or cluster? Thanks.
Single,, but often with the few points around is activated
Man so good to see nature from you! I am a bird photographer.. but too much to learn from you! God bless you!
So nice of you
Wonderful video..... absolutely loved it. I have one query.... Why we should not used a extender to a zoom lens ??? yes, you have said this on your video but i would to improve more knowledge on this. what if am on a 200-500 mm Nikon lens and i am shooting on constant 500 mm with a extender? What will be the effect on the image ?
Hey, thanks. I am recommending against the use of extenders on zoom lenses, because usability and image quality suffer too much
Great video. Thanks for it!
glad you enjoyed it
Perfect advice.
thanks mate
I do like this tips thanks for sharing
Glad you like them!
Hi Jan , many thanks for a great video. with regards to shutter speed you say use a higher speed on a tripod with flying birds than hand held? surely it would be the opposite ? thanks
What I was referring to is the pre-focusing method I sometimes use. Where I pre-focus on a spot and then just fire away, when the bird shoots through the viewfinder. Because my camera is stationary and the bird moving fast, I need really high SS to freeze the action. When I am handholding on the other hand, I am panning with the bird. Because the bird and me are moving in the same direction at a similar speed, my shutter speed can be lower to achieve a sharp shot.
I am talking about this in detail in my latest video.
th-cam.com/video/ne-vkwitp9k/w-d-xo.html
@@jan_wegener Hi Jan thanks for your quick reply and your explanation I understand now and thanks for another great video :]
@@johnwright619 thanks!
Thanks for the tips Jan another excellent video. I use a software tool called Reikan FoCal Pro to do my lens calibration as I find it easier. A bit expensive but does the job well.
David Woolcock interesting, i will check it out
Thanks for sharing. Learnt s lot
Glad to hear that, thanks a lot Greg
Cheers Jan! Some awesome tips in here.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks!
interesting video
Glad you think so!
Good tips my friend 👌👍
thanks a lot!
Not a single second wasted watching your video;) Cheers from A.P.
great to hear :)
Ok I'm waiting Next video 🥰🥰🥰
There are lots to come. I am just working on a big video that has taken up all my time. Next week I will post a new video here!
Great video thanks! I definitely learned some useful info for my bird shots. I’m new to high def bird photography/videography. I use a Sony A6600 with a 100-400mm with a 1.4x converter. I’m seriously considering getting the 200-600mm as well. Do you have any go-to settings for video? I want to get high quality slow motion shots fully zoomed in?
Thank you.
It depends on your camera, to get nice slow-mo you will need a cam that does at least 50/60 fps or better 100/120 fps
Jan Wegener Great thanks! The Sony A6600 does 120 FPS so I will give it a try and tag you on IG so you can see it. Also the A7S3 is coming out soon - so excited to add that to my camera arsenal in Oct/Dec.
Great Tips Jan. Thank you . Can you explain about the flash details ? How bird is perching on a tree branch even after you fire the flash ?
most birds don't care about the flash. I made a video about it. th-cam.com/video/Gb7e2cfgrPg/w-d-xo.html
Hi Jan,
It was a very informative video. In your opinion how important it is to have an camera which has in-body stabilization for bird photography. Is it worth the money we spend for that?
hi, thanks! I never had a camera with IBIS, but most of the future mirror less cameras will have it. All my lenses have stabilisation, though. So in general, having some form of stabilisation is important, but it doesn't have to be IBIS, however, it won't hurt to have it.
Jan I like to tell people that if you're using any stabilized lenses number 1 mode id for sitting still Birds , number 2 mode is used for moving birds like birds in flight , you might want to add that to your next videos for doing sharp images .
I almost never go out of mode 1. Generally I feel like when i track birds I still have a lot of up and down movement as well, where Mode one overall has given me at least similar results to mode 2, so I usually leave it in mode 1.
Great tips ! I have subscribed to your channel. Keep these tips on bird photography coming please ! Gino
Thanks! I will. At least one per week :)
Very useful tips!
Glad you think so!
Another great video Jan, I really do look forward to your uploads as I am a keen photographer who does a little Wildlife work. I doubt if I will ever get images to match yours, but the advice you offer should increase my chances of getting better images. Thanks again ......Joe
Thanks for your comment Joe. It's great to hear that my videos help people.
Thanks Jan for another fine video ... ; - )
I have a question though. Do you use the Image Stabilizer on the 600mm when shooting on a tripod? And if so, which mode (1-3) do you use?
Regards Steen
Steen Torner thanks?
I do and I always leave it on. I have played around with the modes a lot, too, but find mode 1 to work the best. Theoretically mode 2 should work well on a tripod, but I didn’t find that tonne true.
In theory you could turn it off at higher shutter speeds which would be good, but I sometimes forget to turn it back on and ruin other slow shutter speed shots, so I opt to just leave it on now
@@jan_wegener Thanks for your reply Jan. Personally, I try to remember setting mode 2 when using my tripod but often forget to return to mode 1 when handholding. In future, I will follow your advice always using mode 1 ... ; - )
Regards Steen
Thanks Jan. Liked and subscribed mate.
Awesome, thank you!
amazing video 😍 thanks a lot 🤝 i have problem is in my Country the weather is very bad all the time 🤪💔🤣
nader fahd hehe yes, in some places the window of opportunity is quite small
Ned Delic thanks Ned 🌺
Good advice all round but I find a tripod far too awkward for birds in flight even with a gymbil mount and I haven’t really tried using one for perched birds so I think I’ll try that
I wouldn't necessarily recommend one for birds in flight, although it does get tiring with a big lens. With a small lens and fast shutter speed you will be fine handholding
I find gimbals with birds in flight work best if you know where birds are heading, especially across your path (ie. left to right) and when you don't have to aim too high.
Great tips as always. Quick question: what kind of flash are using?
Atm Canon 600 EX
Great video and thanks for the tips. I'm brand new to bird photographer. Today was my forth day. Lovin' it. The one tip you gave is to use a tripod which I would love to do. If I'm on a hike, though, and all of a sudden a bird shows up how do you use the tripod. How do you keep up or do you just get to a spot and wait for the birds to come your way? Thanks.
Hey,
Glad it was helpful! That's the one time a tripod can be a bit of a hindrance, but it also depends on the lens you are using. A smaller lighter lens, requires less of a tripod than the big guns. Personally, I like to set up and have the birds come to me, that less stressful for both parties. When I stalk birds, I sometimes ditch the tripod as well, for ease of use, however, the moment the birds stays in one spot for a bit longer, I instantly regret not having one.
Thank you very much.
You are welcome!