Twice now, I have had a Sharp Shinned Hawk (I think!) land on the fence outside my window. Perfect lighting, close range, overall it has been an excellent photo opportunity. I’m still crying.
First Mistake: No Camera
The worst mistake the first time was that my good camera was rooms away. I did grab the pocket point and shoot and try to take a photo. Unfortunately, it focused on the screen, not the bird. Net result: nothing worth keeping. It’s not even a good enough photo to know for sure it was a Sharpie.
You are not a Sharpie, even if you are on the same fence!
Second Mistake: No Memory Card
Today’s miss really hurt. I had the camera, with the telephoto on, right beside me. I picked it up. It focused on the bird. Nothing happened. Repeatedly. Desperately I changed the battery. By the time I had, the bird had flown. It still wouldn’t fire though. That’s when I saw the memory card lying on the table. Super rats!
Just to be clear, I actually carry a charged battery right on the camera strap. So I only had to spend a few precious seconds changing the battery. I just feel like an idiot for keeping the camera so close with no card in it. We do have multiple cards for it.
Of course now I’m watching the fence like a hawk (!) but the Sharpie is long gone for today. All I can hope is for a “third time lucky.”
(I did get a nice photo of a male cardinal through the snow. But I’m still sad.)
Join In
Do your best photo ops happen when you haven’t a camera to call your own? Please share your bitter experiences (or sweet!) with a comment.