Hello Nex 6!

I got a new camera!  It's much more serious than the superzoom I've been using.  It's a mirrorless system, the Sony Nex 6, which has a real DSLR sensor in a mirrorless body.  I got the basic lenses - a 16-50 and a 55-210.  Even with the 210 it doesn't have the reach of the superzoom, but the image quality is so much better.  Rich and gorgeous!

I took it out today to compare some simple shots to the superzoom, which I also brought along.  As expected, the superzoom was able to get closer to the bird, and the nex6 had better images.  I have a lot to learn, I'm very happy that even on day 1 when I basically don't know what I'm doing, the images look so good to me.

I didn't expect to do any birding really, I thought I'd just take some easy shots of some ducks on the pond, but on the way I saw this kestrel!

Kestrel

 Over to the pond where I was quite surprised to see this juvie night heron.  I wonder if it will just try to brave it out over the winter here.

Black-crowned Night Heron (juvenile)

Mallards!  Yes, yes, I know.  But look at those pictures!  Definitely my best pictures of mallards yet.

Mallards

 Yes, I like mallards.  But I might be in love with my new camera, just a little.  I will try to rein it in.

Mallards

The wood duck is unimpressed.  It stubbornly stayed out of the good light, except when it was really quite far away.  I'll get you, my pretty!

Wood Duck

Walking back around towards my exit, 2 red-tailed hawks were circling above.  I love watching them fly!  I don't know if these are a lot better than they would be with the superzoom, but they are definitely not worse.  Since I don't know how to use the camera properly yet, I consider this very promising.  :-)

Red-tailed Hawks

 Look at that tail!

Red-tailed Hawk