Ok, so today is the last day with the 150-600. I figured I’d slow things down a little and go from high-speed jets to mostly stationary animals and headed out to the zoo. Historically, we’ve had a very good zoo with some outstanding exhibits. This trip left a little to be desired with numerous animals off exhibit. I ended up spending four hours, though. Of course, part of that was returning to some of the animals more than once to see if they’d become more lively. Let me say that carrying this lens around for so long will do a number on your back.

I’ve always had an interest in birds. Whether we’re talking about a large bird like this green-winged macaw or something smaller like an African grey or even a conure, I think they’re intelligent and interesting creatures. I don’t think I’m at the point in life that I’d commit to a 70-year pet so I’ll remain content to just taking their pictures.

As I continued my journey through the Emerald Forest Aviary I couldn’t help but stop and snap a picture of this spoonbill. There were quite a few of them chilling out near the water but this guy captured my attention.

The Inca tern is one of my favorite birds. I love the stark contrast in their coloration. With roughly 150,000 left in the wild, these gorgeous birds are on the near-threatened list. As an interesting note, the length of their mustache is an indicator of their overall health. I guess if you see one with a nice Fu Manchu he’s quite a healthy bird.

We have quite a successful giraffe program and there are about 7 or 8 in the herd now. Here is one of the younger females.

This final shot is one of my favorites. It was also one of the most difficult to capture. The length of the lens meant I had to be far from the glass which I was concerned would really throw the image off. However, I was able to capture what I feel is a nice, strong image despite less than optimal conditions.

The 150-600 certainly isn’t the fast lens and you’ll probably need to start working out to manage carrying it around, but it takes some great images. The reach is probably more than I need on a regular basis, but it certainly proved itself to be valuable in the right conditions.