Birds, net length

[DR. JAMES ADAMS]

Anne Kilmer wrote:

> So do birds; I had a pileated woodpecker once who deliberately stayed
> too close for my long lens; just too far away for my close lens, moving
> back and forth five feet to taunt and frustrate me. He was a park
> woodpecker, who had obviously had lots of practice. 

Sounds familiar.

  How many bird photographers have had *this* experience?  You get 
the bird in focus and you'd swear it filled up at least half the 
field of view, you get the slide back, and you find out that the bird 
is just a small speck in the middle of the picture/slide?  Birds are 
worst than butterflies for this; I think it is part of the tunnel 
vision phenomenon.

         As for net lengths, I use a converted fish net; large 
diameter, light weight aluminum handle.  Very effective and easy to 
swing for a large net.  I started with this at a young age, which 
makes it very easy for me to swing now.  I think our preferences are 
largely due to what we grow up with.

            James

Dr. James K. Adams
Dept. of Natural Science and Math
Dalton State College
213 N. College Drive
Dalton, GA  30720
Phone: (706)272-4427; fax: (706)272-2533
U of Michigan's President James Angell's 
  Secret of Success: "Grow antennae, not horns"