I don't belong here.

[bobiscuit]

I dont really "do" bird photography. With a Sony A350 (dodgy over ISO 400) and Tamron 70-300mm (dodgy wider than f/8) it's not easy!

Still, I'm happy with the detail I got in this shot - even if it's not the most exciting :bonk:

 

[akr]

Nice I like it - looks like a night shot which I assume it isn't - is it just a very black background or something else?

 

[artyman]

The sparrow has the startled look of a dieter caught raiding the fridge in the middle of the night. I presume you used a flash. As you say quite good detail, but could do with a bit more space behind him, it gives the impression he's squashed between the edge of the frame and the feeder.

 

[bobiscuit]

As artyman says, I used a flash.

With the narrow aperture and low ISO I needed to get good image quality, there was nowhere near enough light.

So no it wasn't night, just "gloomy".

 

[Shirleyr]

I have a Sony, whatever you do don't buy the reflex 500mm fixed lens its hopeless, the lens I see all the time producing extremly good photos is the 150-500mm. The 70-400 is over a £1000 and you can buy a canon 400mm for just over a thousand. I'm regreting buying a Sony because there are too few lens for it even though there are Sigma and Tamron. I like your Sparrow photo its a pity the holder is bright red.