D300s / 500mm VR in Florida

I spent the last week in Florida in the Ft. Myers area, Everglades, and Cypress Preserve areas shooting birds (and the occasional Alligator). This is my first trip to Florida for birding and I think it has spoiled me for other areas. There is such a large variety of water birds especially, and many of them are quite tolerant of people near them with large lenses.

These were all shot with a D300s and 500mm VR combination, mostly on a monopod. I'm quite happy with the VR function on the monopod and a couple of these shots are down to 1/80th second (at ISO 1250!). I purchased a TC14e-II just before the trip, but was unable to use it as it front-focuses even with a +20 adjustment on the D300s body. I guess I'll need to send it in to Nikon. As it turns out, though, I rarely needed a TC for shooting anyway as the birds seemed to be in a cooperative mood.

Reddish Egret
1/640th sec @ f/4.5; ISO 200; -1/3 comp

White Ibis
1/2000th sec @ f/4; ISO 200; -1 comp

Roseate Spoonbill at rest
1/80th sec @ f/4; ISO 1250; 0 comp

Little Blue Heron
1/800th @ f/4; ISO 200; 0 comp

Anhinga
1/250th @ f/4; ISO 200; -2/3 comp

More shots at:
http://dvd5.zenfolio.com/p561775523

Don

--
http://www.dvd5.zenfolio.com