A new birding journey: OM1 micro fourthirds

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When: October 2025 Weather: Hot and humid as always in Singapore. 30C

OM1 mkII 150-400mm Pro

For more than ten years, I have been using my old faithful, the Nikon Coolpix P900 and 950 for all my bird photography; light and with outrageous reach, it went everywhere with me and captured many great pix over the years. The image quality however was far from good and I lusted after the quality my birding pals achieved. I’m now on my third P900 but I eventually was persuaded to upgrade to a better system….enter the OM1 mk II which I’d heard was great….I was going to get the light 100-400mm Zuiko zoom but a friend managed to source the top of the range 150-400F4 Pro lens at a slightly less than obscene price so I took the plunge. My only reservation then apart from the price, was the weight of about 1.9kg. So my first shots were taken in Copenhagen a few weeks ago…see my previous post. This post is about the first pictures on my home patch in Singapore when I’ve learnt a bit more about the camera…

A bird perched on a tree branch, eating a piece of food, against a soft blue sky background with green foliage in the foreground.
I saw this grey headed fish eagle fly into the trees…and found him having his fish supper
A bird perched on a tree branch, holding a small piece of food in its beak, against a clear blue sky.
enjoying his supper
A bird with greenish-blue plumage perched on a branch, set against a blurred background of foliage.
blue throated bee eater posing
A small bird perched on a branch, surrounded by lush green foliage.
another blue throated bee eater
A pair of colorful woodpeckers perched on a thick branch among lush green foliage.
a pair of common flameback woodpeckers way up high
A close-up of a small bird perched on a branch, surrounded by lush green leaves.
Swinhoe’s white eye just outside my house
A close-up image of a small bird perched on a branch surrounded by green leaves.
Swinhoe’s white eye
A small bird with a greenish-yellow body is hanging upside down on a branch, surrounded by green leaves.
white eye
A bird perched on a branch, surrounded by green leaves and a blue sky.
A distant Brahminy Kite
A bird of prey perched on a branch against a clear sky, with brown and white plumage.
on closer examination, he seemed to be holding down something he’d caught
A bird soaring in the sky, grasping prey in its talons, surrounded by lush green foliage.
and when he flew away, He seemed to be holding a piece of bark with a green tail! Still not sure what he caught
A hawk soaring in the clear blue sky, showcasing its wingspan and intricate feather patterns.
from way up high…a rufous bellied eagle..a lifer!
A bird in flight against a clear blue sky.
rufous bellied eagle
A small bird perched on a branch, partially obscured by green leaves, against a blurred background.
Yellow rumped flycatcher…start of the migratory season
A close-up of a small bird perched on a branch, surrounded by green foliage in a natural setting.
female yellow rumped flycatcher
A black bird with a distinctive orange beak and yellow markings perched on branches against a gray sky in Singapore.
the loud call of the hill mynah led me to this distant hill mynah
A black bird with white markings in flight against a blue sky.
hill mynah in flight
A kingfisher perched on a branch amidst leafy surroundings in Singapore.
white throated kingfisher
A bird perched among green palm fronds with a blurred background, showcasing its colorful plumage.
pink necked green pigeon
A bird partially hidden among green palm leaves against a light gray background.
male olive backed sunbird
A small yellow bird perched on a branch, surrounded by green foliage.
female sunbird
A hummingbird feeding on red flowers with a background of stone walls.
olive backed sunbird
A bird perched on a branch surrounded by lush green foliage in Singapore.
spotted dove

So I certainly got better pictures than I’m used to but I have to say that the weight remains an issue for me, especially when trying to track a bird in flight or waiting for a bird to fly…..will need a monopod I guess.

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