I keep hearing how nice catch-in-focus is, but I've never been able to get it to work - until I finally realised that you can't have AF set to back-button only (and I can't bear to have AF happen with the shutter button - I like the completely different buttons for that, then I realised customised buttons can be saved in user modes too - which is great!). Learning to hold the shutter button down is weird, but it makes flying birds much easier using CiF... Anyways, enough blabber and more photos - it's a bit noisy, but still a usable image.

[Tonytee]

Wonderful photography my friend. Studying the birds gliding through the air so effortlessly, I try to imagine the thrill that must produce. Wonder what it is like. Thanks so much for a great shot.

TT

[bertwert]

Wonderful photography my friend. Studying the birds gliding through the air so effortlessly, I try to imagine the thrill that must produce. Wonder what it is like. Thanks so much for a great shot.

TT

Thanks Tony - it is a good feeling when you get flying birds in focus

[Tonytee]

Thanks Tony - it is a good feeling when you get flying birds in focus

Yes, I imagine it is. I would be very interesting in viewing your settings for this superb image. Thnx. Tony

[Dan Paris]

very good catch with good balance between subject and background

[bertwert]

very good catch with good balance between subject and background

Thanks Dan - it just happened they were flying across the trees

[bertwert]

Yes, I imagine it is. I would be very interesting in viewing your settings for this superb image. Thnx. Tony

Certainly Tony, the info for this shot is on the flickr page: Mallard Ducks in Flight | Robert Caldwell | Flickr

But in general, on my K-50 I have a user mode set for 'wildlife'.
TAv and you would want it at least 1/1000s for BiF, and I generally keep it about that unless it's really bright or dim outside. I'll almost always have it at f/11 at that's the sharpest for my A 400, but if it's dim I'll have to open it up.
ISO is auto from 100-1600 - I find things above 1600 just aren't really good. I experimented between centre-weighted and spot metering, having settled on spot as it's the subject of the photo I care most about for exposure. If it's bright skies I may need to put the exposure compensation down a bit, as it's easier to recover details from shadows than highlights.
I've always just use auto white balance, as I find it's fairly close, and it's much quicker than messing around with it all the time - anyways I can change it later.
Shooting with SR on (even if not needed at these shutter speeds, it means that the focal length is then inputted and saved in the file data), continuous high using catch in focus - so moving the focus while holding the shutter down. It takes some getting used to.
In RAW with all corrections and things off - quicker between shots, and the file almost always needs some work in PP anyways.

This isn't necessarily the best way - but it's what I'm using and it works for me.