Photographing fighting Starlings from a hide with the OM-1 for stills and the Lumix G9 ii for video.

Starlings are quarrelsome birds who love to fight and I get the chance to photograph them from a hide in Essex. The hide is owened by local photographer Roger Hance who has many excellent fighting shots of these birds.
The hide is not a commercial hide and Roger does not rent it out. His website is below.
Rogers website is rogerhancefrps.com/
and his KZbin channel is / @rogerhance5883
I concentrate my efforts on the fighting shots and use the procapture feature of the OM-1 all day at 50 fps. I take 8780 pictures. Most are rubbish, but I get enough successful images thanks to the wonderful OM-1 and the 150-400mm lens.
For the video footage I use the Lumix G9 ii. The AF of this camera in video mode continues to impress me. The best I have used so far.
Mike Lane wildlife photography www.nature-photography.co.uk/
Music by Bensound Extreme Action
Music by www.bensound.com/free-music-f...
License code: GQ9SY16LDLJZVMEA

[@thomasreed49]

Some unbelievable shots watching my two favourite KZbinrs on a Saturday afternoon what more do you want. 👍

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thank you.

[@rogerhance5883]

Goid video Mike and glad you had a good day.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thank you for the day Roger.

[@bourbakis]

Some wonderful and delightful pics you caught there! I see many starlings in Central Park NY, descendants of Shakespeare birds imported from the UK in the 1800's by a zealous admirer of his. But I've never seen the fighting sequences like what you captured.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Many thanks!

[@LarryFasnacht]

I love that shot that you liked best. Well done.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks

[@ThomasSchwarzFotografie]

Those are a lot of impressive shots, thanks for sharing. I will gladly leave a subscription 😉

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks for the sub!

[@mustafakasapoglu]

what an exciting time. great captures.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Many thanks!

[@davidosborn3356]

Morning. Roger had tipped me off about this one, so I really was looking forward to it. Excellent video, excellent stills. I actually liked the presentation with the two of you. Another great Saturday morning breakfast watch. Now it’s back to wallpapering!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Two grumpy old men talking about the old days!

[@davidosborn3356]

@@MikeLaneFRPSAs a potentially grumpy old man myself, what’s not to like about that!

[@thomasreed49]

I was enjoy your comment then you mention wallpaper. It sent me in a state of panic the thought of it. 😪

[@davidosborn3356]

@@thomasreed49 Thankfully I’ve just finished - for now!

[@rogerhance5883]

@@MikeLaneFRPS 😂

[@jonathanashton4758]

Super shots Mike, very enjoyable video. I currently I have lots of Goldfinch so I can get them squabbling daily but starlings that's a different story. I have them in the surrounding fields but only two at a time visit the garden. Maybe some squashed fat balls in the open as opposed to in a feeder will do the trick

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Maybe Roger has a secret formula!

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

Around here starlings are not very highly regarded, Mike. They are mostly considered to be an undesirable invasive species, but I enjoy photographing them. They have beautiful iridescent feathers with a little white spot at the tip of each feather when the feathers are new. As the feathers age the white tips become worn and don't show up well until they molt again. The problems with starlings come as they begin to flock to cities and towns. They roost in large flocks and their droppings foul awnings and sidewalks and become an unsightly health problem. They are cavity nester and will fill every crack, hole and cranny in the buildings and the excrement makes a mess on building fronts. Bluebird nesting cavities in trees are quickly taken over by starlings. Then house sparrows take over the bluebird houses put up to attract the little bluebirds and they are again evicted by another invasive special. Bluebirds don't stand much of a chance.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Same situation here, although Starling roosts now attract large crowds of people.

[@godsinbox]

great light!

[@LarryFasnacht]

I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who gets mixed up trying to run two different camera systems!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Perhaps for landscapes it is okay, but for fast subjects I can only use one.

[@systemanaturae105]

Hi Mike. Super stills photos and excellent video footage 👌😊😏. I am going to adopt exactly the same system as yourself with my OM-1 for stills and going to check out and buy the G9 mark ii for video. May trade in my old G9. Like you I am particularly interested in doing Slow Motion video.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Not many people shoot video let alone slow motion

[@TheGazzadj]

Great video and Roger is a lovely chap!!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Sure is!

[@rogerhance5883]

Thanks Gary

[@sabyasachibanerjee124]

It was great to see You and Roger together. Great squabble shots of the Stirlings

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@cryptographerchris4856]

Couple of my favorite camera guys at the same time. Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Great images and video.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@stefangoldensteinwildlife9929]

Hi Mike. Very nice footage and awesome pictures of the starlings. Well done. Greets Stefan

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@stephenfinch4534]

Great stuff Mike, I have learned a lot from your ( and Rogers) videos, thanks a lot!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you like them!

[@jeffslade1892]

Lumix can record great birdsong video with the DMW-MS2 stereo-shotgun mic. Not cheap but controlled by the camera and zooms with the lens, which other shotguns don't do.

[@markchambers8826]

Inspiring video. I am sure that you will have seen the article regarding the theft of your equipment on Petapixel - 1st Feb

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Not seen but they did contact me to say they would cover it

[@leehanley71]

Hi Mike, really enjoyed this, they really are a an interesting bird the Starling, such great colours on them 📷

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Many thanks

[@louisswaim7024]

Terrific!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks

[@davelock3166]

Great video. It is amazing how much effort Roger puts in at his hides.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

It really is!

[@RichardCookphotography]

Great video Mike. The footage of the woodpecker is amazing! Well done!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bellasvistas3463]

Delightful. Sunshine really helps everything.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

It does sometimes

[@kevsandall6334]

Stunning capture ! Mike

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks.

[@micktoulmin4616]

Awesome video and stills Mike love the heavy squabbling music at the start 🤘📷

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks 👍

[@heinihefti8969]

Stunning pictures! Thanks for sharing.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Many thanks!

[@SwanSycorax]

Excellent video Mike. Roger presented to our camera club (Mid Sussex Camera Club) last week and gave a superb and highly entertaining presentation. I was interested in your comments regarding only getting Bluetits and Great Tits in your garden these days. I live just north of the South Downs around 10 miles north of Brighton and have also noticed that we get fewer bird species than we used to get - mainly Bluetits, Great Tits and Sparrows but we also get Starlings - especially if I put out mealworm. They almost seem to have a sixth sense. I might not see a starling for over a week but, if I put out mealworm I can almost guarantee starlings will be there within 30 minutes!! Unfortunately there is a large rookery not far from our house and we also get invaded by a number of rooks and jackdaws which tend to decimate the feeders quite rapidly. On the positive side we do get some Dunnock and occasional Greater Spotted Woodpeckers in our relatively small garden.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

The U.K. has the lowest biodiversity in Europe and its getting worse.

[@johnpark8297]

Marvellous video and stills Mike, thank you for posting 👍

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@shaunnorton285]

Rogers old Ipswich hide was fantastic for foxes 20+ years ago. I took my best ever fox photographs there 👍 I know what you mean about using two different camera makes. I struggle using two different models of the same make sometimes

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

I like to have two of the same models

[@thebirdschannel2811]

Just fantastic Mr Mike. Well done

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Many thanks!

[@lesvallsveterinari9743]

Great job👏👏👏

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@colinhuon5908]

Excellent. (As usual).

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks again!

[@19978sm]

Amazing pictures and video!!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thank you very much!

[@ianjefferson694]

I'm from Colchester, Essex gets such a bad rap. It really is very special

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Roger seems to do okay.

[@telkirton]

Excellent images Mike.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks

[@doug11127]

Great video Mike, love your best shots of the day, well worth travelling down to Roger’s hide. I wish I had pro capture on my Canon R5, my wife has it on her Canon R62 but needs it for her family photography so out of bounds lol. All the best Doug

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@prjct72]

Roger Hance, well-known photographer… and OM-1 mk II tester. What a coincidence. Good timing here Mr. Lane 🤔

[@LouisaLee63]

Great video!

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@edwardrussell5413]

Over a hundred years of experience between you :-) , Nice work.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

And we still mess up too often!

[@edwardrussell5413]

Laurel and Hardy 😂@@MikeLaneFRPS

[@rogerhance5883]

@@MikeLaneFRPS 😂

[@MartinJSmithPhotographyUK]

Great video Mike sorry to say but I have Gold Finch and Starlings all the time in my garden. Thanks for sharing.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Wish I did

[@richardfink7666]

Can this done better? No! I love these photos.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thank you.

[@francoclivio]

Nice capture friend

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks for watching

[@brucegraner5901]

Some really nice images in video and stills but I don't envy you the editing work. Back when I shot film I would bulk-load 30-frame rolls of color film and four rolls of film would have been a "big" shoot for me for an outing. Hard to believe the volume we shoot in these digital days.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Not so bad with the right software

[@minengineman]

As usual very instructional and enjoyable video. Did you use procap or pro cap SH2. Thank you.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Sh2. I needed caf

[@johngunning2123]

Excellent video! Makes me want to grab my camera and go for a walk somewhere. We have the odd Starling in Queensland but not a common bird although they are common in the southern states. Is Rogers Hide available to rent for a day or half-day? Edit...I've just noticed in your notes that Roger does not rent it out. 🤬

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Starling used to be so common at garden feeders, but not so much anymore.

[@Distinctly.Average]

From the video the males seem more dominant and aggressive than the females. Great shots,

[@lucasagazio4600]

Excellent video👏🏻👏🏻. May I know what food was used?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Normal bird food, although Roger makes his own suet and i do not know his formula.

[@CamillaI]

Great work Mike and Roger great to see the whole process start to finish still waiting for pro capture on the Sony A 1😢

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

I seem to remember Sony have it now on one model.

[@CamillaI]

It's on the A9III now @@MikeLaneFRPS

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Ah yes.

[@AndyAstbury]

Another brilliant video Mike, cracking. Pro Capture is real bonus helper, and I don't have anything like that on my Nikon D850, so this sort of work is a lot harder. If I was to upgrade to a Z8 or Z9, then I'd have access to Nikon Pre Capture which does the same thing, but only in JPEG. Am I correct in thinking you are shooting raw with the OM?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Yes raw on the OM-1. I would have no issues shooting jpeg though. Only make use of a raw when I mess up the exposure. If I get the exposure right jpeg is fine.

[@AndyAstbury]

@@MikeLaneFRPS ...call me stuck in my ways Mike, but I couldn't cope with jpeg only! Looks like there is a way around the jpeg only problem with the Z8 & 9, but you are limited to 20fps - which is double what I can get now anyway, so upgrading might be on the cards after all.

[@PeterVlutters]

Pardon me Mike it's not the most elegant way of talking to an elegant older gentleman but: FREAKING AWESOME FOOTOAGE & FOTOS Mike👌👌👌 The confusion in muscle memory is that I'll opt for the G9ii as soon as the price drops... Love that om 1mk but the mk2 I find way 2 expensive Of course there are some differences in handling between G9mk1 and G9mk2 but basics are the same. Your work reassures me that M43 has still has a lot going for it. Even incheaper FF Times Or what's your Opinion on that Mike? Silly question maybe... Is it possible to destill a Good Photo 📸 out of Filmfootage?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

I don't worry about picture quailty much. Finding and getting close to my subjects in nice surroundings is the challenge

[@PeterVlutters]

@MikeLaneFRPS I am not so experieced like you with Birding... But coming close without scraring the away iI find very difficult indeed... Especially Blue Tits & Co are pretty restless 🐦

[@PeterVlutters]

@MikeLaneFRPS btw you said do worry about picture quality much... Well your Videos and Photo , wonderwell look amazing👍

[@oneoldgit]

Great images as usual. How many battery changes?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Don't remember, but I will guess at 1.

[@naturealbums]

I also love bird photography and watch both of your awesome channels, found you looking for reviews on the OM1 that I was interested in when it first came out. Both of you get amazing shots that pro-capture is excellent I love how Olympus implemented it along with useful other computational features. I've mostly been a Canon shooter (and Nikon on a Sigma300-800mmF5.6). I would have loved an OM1. It's just that the lens I would have wanted was too expensive it's going for £6700 these days. Lenses are the more important consideration in a system for me. If only OM1 had a Canon or Nikon mount. Not long ago I got the Canon R7 it's not a stacked sensor ( so has rolling shutter 😞) but I'm pleased with the AF and does do Pro-Capture but not as well implemented. It's similar pixel density slightly better but on an apsc size so you get a similar advantage for reach but at 33MP so extra cropping space compared to M43 20MP of OM1. I have it on a Canon 300mmF2.8LIS. Got both the converters 1.4xIII and 2xII both very sharp and great AF at 420mm@F4 , 600mm@F5.6. Might go for a Nikon Z8/9 later this year (was waiting for a pro Nikon APSC). The Z8/9 both have pro-capture equivalents and something new AutoCapture. So you can set it up towards a baited perch and let the Camera detect movement and take the shots automatically remotely. Set it up and live view it remotely with a faster wider F2.8 or F1.8 macro lens while you browse the AutoCapture pics you get. They also do 4K120 even 8K!. I would love a hide like Rogers wow instant birds! I do get a good variety in my garden though.

[@davelock3166]

I would not bother with the zoom -get the 300mm F4. You will not be disappointed. And forget the sigma variant. The reason I got rid of my Nikon long-toms is the bulk, the weight, the lack of portability and being pinned down by a cumbersome tripod. Remember also, that the crop tool is the most powerful tool in any photo package.

[@naturealbums]

@@davelock3166 yes agreed the 300mm F4 would be the better option. I'm getting old and weight is definitely an important parameter! My Sigma 300-800mm 5.9kg sits on an astro mount these days won't take it anywhere.

[@ajs1501]

That was like a 2 for 1 with Roger in your clip I also like Roger's chanel. I am thinking of selling my G92 and OM1 to get the new OM1MK2, what do you recon?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

For stills I use the Om1. For video it has to be the G9 mk2.

[@alesjaks6683]

awesome video Mike, can you share the ingredients of Roger's starling feed?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

I have not a clue. He was a master baker before retirement. Perhaps its a family firm secret!

[@rogerhance5883]

Bird paste is : 1 cheap sliced supermarket loaf, 375gms melted Lard, (one and a half blocks) , approx 1pt boiling water , and some bird seed. Put the end crusts of the loaf into a kenwood chef mixing bowl, and pour the boiling water on. Leave to saok for a few minutes. Melt lard in a bowl in microwave. Put rest of the loaf in bowl and pour the metled lard on top. Fit beat and mix well until it leaves the side of the mixing bowl, and then add some bird seed. Then roll up into balls, and keep in fridge. It should last in a fridge for about a week.

[@alesjaks6683]

thanks Roger i will try this mix@@rogerhance5883

[@przybylskipawel]

Great pictures! Especially those high up. I've got few questions: Do you consider replacing your OM-1 with OM-1 II? What shutter speed do you usually use for video? Do you consider/have you tried using two bodies with two lenses one for video from a tripod one for stills handheld so that you don't have to switch bodies? Provided that you have a space for that.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Not in a rush to buy the om1 mk2. No interesting feature

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

I take little notice of the shutter speed anymore other than I keep it slow sometimes so the iso stays low. I have shot video and stills at the same time with different camera and lenses. Not only is it too much gear to carry but I do a poor job of both. I can only concentrate on one at a time.

[@wildcat1065]

Great setup Roger has ! Interesting you use 128GB cards and edit in Breezebrowser as I do. Do you find that you have any problems getting the RAW files to open when you have a full card ? I get some odd messages that I have to ignore and it takes a long time, albeit they do come up eventually.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Not sure at what stage you get this problem. Once a folder has a 1000+ images in Breezebrowser is slow to show the thumbnails.

[@wildcat1065]

@@MikeLaneFRPS . Yes, that's what I am finding, seems OK with 64Gb cards

[@d-entrecasteaux]

If you're like Mike and sometimes shoot thousands of photos in one session, here is a sorting technique that can be done in the field without software ......it works for me as a daily routine with success. The OM1 is very efficient and fast at spooling through thousand of photos for selection in playback mode using the excellent high resolution viewfinder. You can very easily select the best shots according to composition and sharpness and then select the photo by marking it with the 5* ISO button. I often do this during quiet spells or immediately after a photo session. At home on the laptop I open DXO Photolab 7 and ask the browser to display only the 5* star images I selected in the camera. Once loaded, I select ALL and then drag them onto my back up hard drive. Once I have two backups, I delete the card and edit the photos from one of the backups. When I travel without a laptop and want to back up my files. I shoot onto SD card 1 and then sort as explained above - then I move the 5* star images to the SD card in slot 2. SD card slot 2 then becomes my backup which can also be sorted by the camera into folders. Hope this makes sense, hope it's helpful for someone.

[@seanlonsdale]

What software do you use for culling images Mike👍👍

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

I have used Breezebrowser ever since switching to digital.

[@seanlonsdale]

@@MikeLaneFRPS Thank you👍

[@tarjei99]

Did Roger bring the OM 150-600mm zoom he had/has on loan from OM?

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

No. I expect they have to keep quiet about these things.