Testing out my new zoom lens

Seagull at the top of the PS&P swing bridge in the Hoquiam River.

Just a duck, but I think it's sitting on a nest!

This is all the way across the bay (of course I had to find the limits of the zoom). I think this is some type of hawk sitting on the top of the piling.

I think these are some kind of albatross.

No idea who these folks are, but their dog is gorgeous, yeah?

I was pretty excited today to get out and test my new Canon 75-300mm zoom lens, which I'm using on my Canon EOS 80D.

I've been using a basic 18-55mm zoom lens for all of my photography ... and constantly finding myself frustrated by my inability to do any real wildlife photography. 55mm just doesn't get me close enough; by the time I do get close enough to focus, I've disturbed whatever I'm trying to photograph, and it is either running or flying away from me.

The new lens was made for a full frame camera, and the 80D is a DSLR, so I'm getting an even stronger zoom capability than 300mm.

It gets me plenty close enough to subjects that are far away (they'll never know I'm there!). I'll have to practice a bit and make adjustments to the composing I've been doing ... but these first few practice shots really gave me a taste of what is possible with the new lens.

It even works for close subjects, like in the last photo of this series, at 75mm.

Anyway, I'm more than thrilled and wanted to share these first few shots.