Tag Archives: MN North: Amity

Owl Check-In / Digital Zoom Review

Year 8

Two nights ago I watched a few videos on YouTube about “clear image zoom” (digital zoom) on the Sony Alpha E-Mount cameras. Even if you do “not” have a Sony camera, this discussion on optical vs. digital review is relevant. Normally I never use digital zoom on any of my cameras. I have found the quality of the image suffers, and I lose the flexibility of minor cropping to enhance the artistic end result of my photos (cropping of digitally zoomed images always yields poor results in my opinion). While I recognize digital zoom increases a camera’s reach, the optics involved never change.

Yesterday the sun finally came out in the late afternoon after a several day absence. All three Great Horned Owlets had been hunkered down in the nest trying to stay warm (snow was also in the air during the past few days). Anyhow once the sun came out, so did the owls.

In addition to the images shown below, should you wish to do a detailed review on my test, I have provided a link to higher resolution files. I wanted folks to see that digital zoom yields no benefits for my Sony A6300 (took these photos), and with my Canon SX-70 using digital zoom the quality actually suffers significantly.

Original Image (Sony A6300 with 350mm lens) (high-res link)

1.5x Digital Clear Image Review (Sony’s term) (high-res link)

Cropped photo of original photo to yield similar result to zoomed image (high-res link)

Just before the sun came out and I was presented with a blue sky background. I love the lower owlet’s expression! This is the same branch just from a different vantage point as the images given above.

Alarm Clock Birds!

Year 8
Alarm Clock Bird!
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My local Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers arrived back up north two nights ago, and now without fail I can rely upon this bird to drum on the hollow tree bough outside my open bedroom window 30 minutes before sunrise. Given sunrise is now 6:15 am, my “alarm bird” sounds off at 5:45 am. Soon, the bird will want to awaken me earlier as we move towards the summer equinox.
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There are three perfect drumming trees in my yard, and all the Hairy, Downy, Pileated and now Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers are very much aware of that fact. My Yellow-Shafted Flickers also returned to the Northwoods a few days ago, but it has different tastes in drumming, and really prefers singing for a mate. Species #6 in my yard are “red-bellied woodpeckers”. Red does some occasionally drumming and singing.
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Unless a dead tree threatens your home or another structure in your yard, do not cut them down. Dead trees are great habitat for many birds, not just woodpeckers.