Raven

Raven, Corvus corax, single bird on Red-legged partridge, January 2018. Olympus EM1 MK2 40-150mm zoom at 75mm. 3200 iso. 1/1000th at f4.

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus, single bird in flight, Slimbridge Gloucestershire, January 2018.

Taken with the Olympus Em1 Mk2, 300mm f4 lens plus 1.4 extender. 1/8000th at f5.6. 1600 iso. No crop.

I was using the Olympus Dot Sight Viewer. This is a small device that fits to the hot shoe of the camera. When powered on there is a red dot which you line up onto your subject. It needs calibrating in the same way as the sights on a rifle, but is simple to do.

Instead of looking through the camera viewfinder you use the viewer, which is clear, bright and flicker free to follow the bird in flight. It is much easier to follow fast flying birds. The downside is you can’t judge the image size and have to hope the AF is working well.

Tree sparrows

Tree sparrow, Passer montanus, group of birds on tree, South Korea, January 2018. Olympus Em1 Mk2 and the 300mm f4 lens. 3200 iso. 1/400th at F8.

Magpies and Tree sparrows were the commonest birds we saw in South Korea. Magpies in flocks of 100 birds and much larger flocks of Tree sparrows. Overall though the photography opportunities in South Korea during the winter were limited. I took my Canon gear as well as the Olympus micro four thirds camera, but hardly used the Canon. The Em1 has become my camera of choice almost every time.